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17:23
Page 1
May
2010
No. 379 NO. 344
JUNE
2007
NO. 1 FOR DOMESTIC TRAVEL,TOURISM AND BUSINESS NEWS IN ENGLAND, IRELAND, SCOTLAND & WALES
www.travelgbi.com
BoBI goes all-trade back
at Birmingham’s NEC
✮ HURLINGHAM Park in London will thunder with the hooves of
world-class polo players from June 4–6 as the World Polo Series
plays out at the second annual MINT Polo in the Park event.
More than 32,000 spectators are expected to attend the
weekend as Team London battles against rival international professionals to defend its crown from last year.
Polo in the Park ambassador, celebrity Jodie Kidd (pictured
above), said: “I am so delighted that the sport is being developed
into the new decade. Last year was such a huge success and a
weekend to remember, I can’t wait for the 2010 tournament.”
For more information, call 0844 847 2282 or go to the website
at polointheparklondon.com.
TRAVEL agents are being urged to
stay focused on the business
opportunities presented by domestic breaks.
The ABTA UK Leisure Group
says that demand for UK holidays is
again high in 2010 and travel
agents need to carry on promoting
and selling UK breaks on top of
overseas holidays.
“2009 was a great year for the
UK, but it was not a one-off,” said
the group’s chairman Zena Calderbank, Hoseason’s head of sales.
VISITBRITAIN has bowed to industry pressure and will hold next
year’s Best of Britain and Ireland
exhibition at Birmingham’s NEC –
without any consumer days.
Many exhibitors were unconvinced about the wisdom of moving the show to London two years
ago, and the decision to add consumer days to the format caused
more controversy.
Opposition boiled over after the
last BoBI event in Olympia (see
travel GBI, April) and following a
meeting of the steering committee
last month, it was decided to
return the show to Birmingham.
“It is important to be able to
evolve this key event in the travel
calendar, focusing on the travel
trade for BoBI 2011 and listening to
the feedback we have received
✮ PROVISIONAL figures from the International Passenger Survey reveal
that overseas leisure visitors to London rose 7% last year to about seven
million with an increase in spend of 24% to nearly £4 billion.
Many of London’s top inbound leisure markets saw a rise in year-onyear figures including the USA, which saw its first growth in two years,
up 7%; Germany, up 34%; Spain, up 27%; and France, up 19%.
In total, London welcomed just over 14 million international visitors
in 2009, which is a year-on-year drop of just over 4%, mainly due to a
decline in global business travel. But despite the decline in visits, overall
spend in London rose by 3% to £8 billion.
ABTA points toward
domestic goldmine
“Last year was the year many
people rediscovered UK holidays
but 2010 is turning into the year
that they come back, seduced by
the variety of accommodation,
facilities and activities available.
“More short breaks are being
taken in the UK than ever before.”
THE WORLD’S
GREATEST MUSICALS
from partners and industry alike,”
said VisitBritain’s distribution and
commercial services director
Kenny Boyle.
The show will run at NEC from
March 16–17 next year as a tradeonly event, although organisers say
they retain the option to introduce
biennial rotation with a return to
London in 2012.
Key partner Tourism Ireland
welcomed BoBI’s return to a tradeonly show but stayed silent on its
move to Birmingham.
UK director Lawrence Bate
said: “We and our industry partners
were very pleased with the two
trade days at BoBI this year.
“However, the attendance at
the two consumer days fell a long
way short of our expectations and
it therefore makes good business
Ms Calderbank added that although operators were working
hard to get holidaymakers travelling
abroad once again, there was a
real opportunity for agents to tap
into additional business because
of this new-found enthusiasm for
the UK.
“The business is there for the
taking but agents will only grab it if
they are pro-active in promoting
the UK alongside other types of
holidays,” she said.
“Last year, many agents discovered for the first time what a
rich seam of business there is in
the domestic market.
“Now we are urging all travel
agents to build on that success and
really work hard to keep on top of
the opportunities that present
themselves in 2010.”
sense to return to the trade-only
format.”
VisitScotland supports the move
back to Birmingham but called for
organisational improvements.
Events production manager
Ben MacCorquodale said: “Feedback from our exhibiting partners
highlighted the need for the event
to focus on improving the marketing of the exhibition pre-show to
attending buyers.”
East of England chief executive
Keith Brown said the two years
in London was a worthwhile experiment for BoBI but he was not
unhappy with the move to
Birmingham.
✮ Kenny Boyle has announced
his intention to leave VisitBritain
within six months. He says he is
considering a number of career
options, including one within the
travel industry.
JUDGING the
mood of the
industry:
travel GBI’s
front-page
headline last
month.
Bourne pressures for
political appointment
BOURNE Leisure has thrown
its weight behind the travel
industry campaign for UK
tourism minister.
The leisure group took
the opportunity to quiz
Conservative Party leader
David Cameron on his plans
for British Tourism during a
visit to Haven Holidays’
Devon Cliffs.
Mr Cameron confirmed
that he would have a dedicated tourism minister to promote the UK tourism industry
if he won the election.
The Conservative leader
praised British breaks and
revealed he would be having a
UK holiday again this year as
he met holidaymakers at fivestar Devon Cliffs Holiday Park
near Exmouth.
“I think we have some
great holiday locations in
Britain and I can tell you that
as someone who is expecting
a baby this autumn, I think
you will find my holiday will
be in Britain this year,” said
Mr Cameron.
Devon Cliffs Holiday Park
has been at the forefront of
improving standards and facilities for guests in the UK holiday industry with over £30
million having been invested
In the park by Haven.
WINNER! MOST POPULAR SHOW
Laurence Olivier Awards 2010
LIVE IN
020 7492 1500
© WLPL
LONDON!
APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE
LONDON
LYCEUM THEATRE
Wallace Smith and Kissy Simmons. Photo by Lois Greenfield. ©Disney
HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE
LONDON
TM © 1986 RUG Ltd
30/4/10
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Page 1
News
This month
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England’s North West
Southern England
West Country & The Isles of
Scilly
Group Shopping
EnjoyEngland Awards for
Excellence 2010
Next month
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East Midlands
London and Home Counties
Resorts Focus
Great Days Out / Theme &
Animal Parks
Editorial contributions for the
June edition should be sent by
May 19 to:
[email protected]
RESEARCH by YouGov on behalf of
VisitGuernsey has unveiled a desire
for quality individual experiences
and destinations that offer a sense
of discovering something authentic, suggesting that the ‘fly-andflop’ package to a manufactured
resort does not fit the bill anymore.
According to the survey of
2,078 adults, nearly two-thirds of
UK holidaymakers want their break
to be ‘unique and personal’, rather
than a mass package experience.
A massive 81% identified ‘being
able to potter and explore at your
own pace’ as one of the most
appealing features of a holiday or
short break, while on a scale of
one-to-ten in importance, 66%
Celebrity entertainers are key to
Butlins’ increase in short breaks
Market fairs in
West Suffolk
host Armed
Forces Day
A VINTAGE market is one of
the ways in which Bury St
Edmunds will be celebrating
Armed Forces Day on June 26,
along with free music and
other events in the Abbey
Gardens.
The fun day in aid of Help
for Heroes is being organised
by St Edmundsbury Borough
Council with support from
town traders and businesses.
There will be entertainment
throughout the day including
wartime favourites and the
Rock a Bellas.
Meanwhile, on June 20,
the Nowton Park Country Fair,
FRESH food on offer at
Nowton Park Country Fair
Bury St Edmunds, combines
classic countryside arena
events with the opportunity for
a little light shopping in a
beautiful setting.
Now in its 21st year, the
fair is an established date in
the West Suffolk calendar.
For more information, call
01284 764667 or go online to
stedmundsbury.gov.uk.
BUTLINS’ Big Weekends breaks are
up 11% through the trade year-onyear and offer agents improved
earnings of 5%, says head of retail
sales Allan Lambert.
This is a trend the resort operator predicts will continue as increasing numbers of British adults
choose short fun breaks with their
friends and Butlins continues to
sign up celebrity entertainers.
“These breaks are extremely
popular with large groups celebrating special occasions and wanting
to spend quality time with friends,
reliving memories of youth with the
bands they grew up with,” said Mr
Lambert.
Butlins has just announced Kim
Wilde and Jason Donovan as the
rated having a unique and personal
holiday as a seven or above.
Almost two thirds rated ‘being
able to choose from a range of
activities’ as an appealing feature
of their break but even more popular were ‘natural, unspoilt surroundings’, with 73% of those surveyed
rating them as a seven or above in
importance.
Theme parks and Amusement
arcades were the big holiday turnoffs, appealing respectively to just
8% and 14% of those asked, while
hotel buffet breakfasts got the
thumbs down too, with almost
twice as many people preferring
theirs freshly cooked to order.
“The message consumers are
giving us is that a holiday or short
break is more than just a product,”
said VisitGuernsey marketing and
tourism director Chris Elliott.
01481 723552 or go to the website
at visitguernsey.com.
Enjoy the past, buy the present
and treasure the experience
History & Heritage
Award Winning Museum
Craft Skills
Demonstration Area
Hands on Opportunities
Shopping
Restaurant
North East offers
something to tickle
tastebuds in June
NOW in its fourth year, the acclaimed EAT! NewcastleGateshead
festival continues to champion local food producers, restaurants and
culinary talent in NewcastleGateshead and the North East.
EAT! delivers a slap-up programme of events such as dining
50 metres in the air, dining in the
dark and, new for 2010, eating in a
pop-up restaurant with no menu.
Festival director Simon Preston
said: “With more than 50% of this
year’s festival made up of free
events, there’s no excuse not to
get involved and sample some of
the fantastic food produced and
served in and around NewcastleGateshead.
“This is our most ambitious festival to date, and also the most
adventurous. The most important
thing is to enjoy rediscovering that
food makes you happy. It’s not
every day we are encouraged to
have so much fun with our food.”
The EAT! NewcastleGateshead
festival runs from June 12–27.
For more information, telephone 0191 440 5720 or go online
now to the festival website at
newcastlegateshead.com.
THE Kerry Way 2 Days at a
Time Programme continues on
June 5 with stage seven –
Gleesk (Sneem) to Blackwater
Bridge – and on June 6 with
stage eight – Blackwater
Bridge to Kenmare.
The final stage will be
completed on July 31 with
stage nine from Kenmare to
Killarney.
At the end of the final
stage, awards will be presented to all those who have completed The Kerry Way through
all nine stages in the 20092010 Programme.
The Kerry Way 2010–2011
will start in October and all
those who have only completed some of the stages during
the 2009–2010 programme,
will have the opportunity to
slot in their missing walks and
qualify for the award.
The Kerry Way Stages are
generally Category B walks
requiring good hill walking fitness. The stages average 11
to 12 miles in length, include
some climbs and are completed at a reasonable pace.
Walks must be booked in
advance.
00 353 64 6636622 or go to
killarney.ie.
Stratford-upon-Avon museum
fills Shakespeare Country shoes
FOLLOWING the sudden demise of
Shakespeare Country, the organisation responsible for promoting
Stratford-upon-Avon and the sur-
© Wedgwood Museum Trust
The Wedgwood Visitor Centre, Barlaston,
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST12 9ER
T: 01782 282986 E: [email protected]
www.wedgwoodvisitorcentre.com
Prices start from £96 per person for this three-night family
entertainment break from November 26–29 in a Silver Self Catering
Caravan.
Meanwhile, Butlins has formed
its first band to perform at its
beachside resorts at Bognor Regis,
Minehead and Skegness as well as
at other gigs and venues.
Wayne Chinnery, Ian SavageBrookes, Jamie Paul Pearce and
James Hutchinson have been
brought together to form Beautiful
World and will perform covers of
Take That’s classics such as Never
Forget and Everything Changes.
For more information, call 0845
070 4742 or go to the website at
bourneleisuresales.co.uk.
Hill walking
the Kerry way
VisitGuernsey gets
personal with adults
VISITOR CENTRE
2 Travel GBI May 2010
latest pop stars to be headlining at
its adult Big Weekends at Butlins
Minehead this November
Eighties pop icon Kim Wilde will
be appearing at the new 80s
Madness break from November
5–8 while Neighbours heartthrob
and chart topper Jason Donovan
will be top of the bill at the new
Skool Reunion break from November 12–15.
Aussie singer Peter Andre has
also announced his Butlins Arena
Break at Butlins Minehead on
November 27.
Guests will be able to dance
and sing along to Mysterious Girl
and other songs from his new
album, The Next Chapter, in Butlins’
5,000 seater arena.
THE Creaky Cauldron helps
visitors seek Stratford magic.
rounding area, one local company
has stepped into the breach and
launched a new tourism service for
visitors and local residents.
The award winning Creaky
Cauldron museum has designed a
comprehensive new website for
visitors called ‘Stratford-uponAvon: Not just Shakespeare’.
Seek the Magic Org, the company behind The Creaky Cauldron,
is also providing a telephone information service for visitors.
By calling 0844 824 8600, visitors can talk to experienced and
knowledgeable staff seven days
a week. In addition, racks displaying leaflets on local attractions
have also been set up within the
museum. Every business in and
around Stratford has been listed
free of charge.
Seek the Magic Org CEO Dave
Matthews said: “Not Just Shakespeare will be a fundamental service
and an invaluable source of information for visitors, especially as
we approach Shakespeare’s Birthday celebrations.”
824 8600 or visit the website at
notjustshakespeare.org.
30/4/10
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CHA to meet in June
Virgin woos weekenders
THE Considerate Hoteliers Association (CHA) will hold its annual general meeting, awards presentation
and lunch at The Dorchester, London, on June 2.
Commenting on the 2009/10
awards, CHA director and secretary John Firrell said: “We are
delighted at the number of entries
received and by the excellent standard demonstrated. “Each year,
VIRGIN Trains has launched a new
small groups product to enable
groups of three to eight people to
travel together on the train for even
less than before.
This comes in response to
Virgin Trains reporting an increase
in passengers travelling at weekends to events, such as sports.
The new group ticket is aimed
at groups travelling together on the
same train where the first two passengers pay the full applicable
entrants manage to go that extra
‘green’ mile beyond the previous
year. Size does not matter: we
could just as likely see a small
hotel, guest-house or Bed &
Breakfast setting the example for
other larger operations to follow. It
could be an interesting year.”
01308 482313 or go to the website at consideratehoteliers.com.
Having a blast in Leeds
Operators demand
2012 ticketing details
ETOA is pressing organisers of the
London 2012 Olympics to clarify
ticketing arrangements for the travel industry.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and
Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has
announced details of its ticketing
plans but no mention is made of
the travel trade.
ETOA says: “They have invited
sports fans all over the country to
sign up and register their interest
and indicate which sports they are
interested in so they can receive
updates on London 2012 developments.
“On top of this they will be
among the first to find out when
tickets go on sale in 2011 and how
to apply for them.
“ETOA has stressed that, as
operators must plan well in advance and many are already working on their 2012 product, it is
important that adequate arrangements for the trade are in place as
soon as possible.”
The tour operators’ association
is part of a working group with Visit
Britain and Visit London looking at
the tourism impact of the Olympics.
The group seeks to make the
most of any opportunity the
Olympic Games presents and mitigate any adverse consequences.
7499 4412 or go to etoa.org.
SIX newly restored cannons
have been unveiled at the
Royal Armouries Museum,
Leeds, creating guaranteed
visitor impact at their installed
sites on Clarence Dock.
They have been situated
in a variety of locations,
including positions near the
Tiltyard and Craft Court and
even the mini-roundabout outside the museum.
Keeper of artillery Nick
Hall said: “These cannon are
in fabulous condition and
provide an eye-catching
showpiece.”
08700 344 344 or go to the
website at royalarmouries.org.
Hotel adopts sQuid smartcard
for loyalty scheme in Notts
NOTTINGHAM Gateway Hotel
has become the first hotel in
the UK to introduce a loyalty
scheme using sQuid’s contactless smartcard solution, with
the launch of their new ‘We
Love to Reward You’ loyalty
programme.
sQuid, the ePayments
provider, has been trialing
smartcard-based loyalty
schemes for the last year,
enabling all businesses, what-
ever their size, to offer loyalty
rewards to their customers.
The Nottingham Gateway
‘We Love To Reward You’
smartcard offers contactless
payments and the promise of
rewards which are
redeemable in the hotel’s bar
and restaurant.
020 8339 2111 or go to the
website at squidcard.com/
loveawards.
advance fare with the others
receiving a 10% discount on their
own advance fare.
Senior communications manager Jim Rowe said: “We are
always looking at ways to innovate
and offer better deals, so are keen
to monitor how popular this new
ticket will prove to be with our passengers.”
For further information, call
08700 104 490 or go to the website at virgintrains.com.
Glenton targets solo
travellers for tours
COACH tour operator Glenton Holidays has introduced its solo traveller brand to the North East.
Called Good Companions, the
solo travel brand has seen soaraway success in Scotland since
it was launched less than four
years ago. The growth in demand
from mature single holidaymakers
has now prompted Glenton Holidays to offer escorted Good Companions tours to customers in the
North East.
Glenton co-founder Steve Turbill said: “We’ve been delighted
with the growth of Glenton in this
region over the past year and more
and more mature solo holidaymakers are asking us about tours
for them.
“With our dedicated Good
Companions brand, we can cater
just for solo travellers with features
such as our welcome reception
and tour host.”
The growth of Good Companions mirrors the expansion of Glenton Holidays, which aims to
increase turnover by a third to £10
million and passenger numbers by
a quarter to 50,000 for 2010.
Good Companions offers for
solo travellers in the North East
include Pitlochry & Waltzing
Waters. This five-day tour, departing on July 12, costs £199 per person and is based at the popular
Fishers Hotel, with nightly entertainment, excursions to Aberfeldy,
Royal Deeside and the Waltzing
Waters display at Newtonmore.
For more information, telephone 08000 24 24 24 or go to the
website at glentonholidays.com.
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Order your brochure supplies from:
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or visit www.shearingsagent.com
Travel GBI May 2010 3
30/4/10
16:04
Page 1
News
Travel industry mourns for Boon
– a leader in tourism for Britain
JOHN Boon, a veteran of the UK
travel industry and most recently
head of membership services for
the European Tour Operators Association, has died suddenly after a
short illness.
John started his career in
Global Tours before moving to
American Express as a regional
contracts manager for UK and
Ireland, a role that soon expanded
to cover Scandinavia.
Here John developed a formidable reputation for companionable
cunning in negotiations, a reputation that he carried with him
throughout his career.
His ability to engage with people and a detailed knowledge of the
product helped John in his subsequent position in charge of sales
and operations for the entire
SHEARINGS has launched a new
brochure encompassing its entire
programme of Autumn, Festive and
Spring 2010–11 holidays to make
booking easier for agents.
The new 124-page brochure
offers an expanded programme for
the UK and
covers all
Shearings
products
between
October
2010
and
April
2011.
inbound division of American
Express UK.
This role, which incorporated
both corporate and leisure business, made him one of the leaders
of tourism in Britain and set him up
as a natural chairman of the then
British Incoming Tour Operators
Association (now UKinbound).
Subsequent years saw John
become managing director of
Sovereign Tourism as well as taking
on roles in Anglo World, Select
Travel and JAC Travel.
During this time he became
chairman of the International
Chapters of the American Society
of Travel Agents (ASTA).
In January, John joined the
European Tour Operators Association and in February received
a Lifetime Achievement award
from UKinbound at their annual
conference.
He was diagnosed with cancer
in mid-April, underwent an operation but died of a heart attack
shortly afterward.
Shearings sets out plans
for all holiday periods
Commercial director Caroline
Brown said: “This year we have
grouped everything together in one
brochure to make it easier for
agents to see the entire portfolio as
well as giving the brochure a longer
shelf life.
“While many agents are already familiar with our various
summer programmes, this brochure will help them to make the
most of our off-season product as
well – for Autumn, Festive and
Spring breaks.”
New UK holidays include fiveday scenic tours such as a Cheshire Snowdrops break, a Spring
Blossom Trail through Evesham and
a Wordsworth’s Lake District trip
combining a cruise on Ullswater
with local visits.
at shearingsagent.com.
Warner adds
to Strictly
dance break
programme
ROYALTY for a year: Lyn Tomlinson is crowned 1983 National Coal
Queen by the previous year’s queen, Susan Brown.
Photograph: Queen’s Printer and Controller of HMSO, 2010
Coal mine beauties fire
up the past at museum
AN exhibition celebrating Coal
Queen competitions opens at
the National Coal Mining
Museum for England in May.
Memories of the Coal
Queens looks back at the time
between the early 1960s and
mid 1980s when coal industry
beauty competitions were at
their height.
The exhibition opens on
May 17 and will run for 19
weeks.
The competitions started
as local colliery contests and
a miner’s daughter or wife
would be crowned queen.
These colliery winners
would then go on to compete
for the regional title at the
county’s Miners’ Gala, with
the competition becoming a
national event in 1969.
Curatorial director
Rosemary Preece said: “Our
new exhibition will be a real
eye opener. You can see what
the Coal Queens wore to win
their prizes and hear their
memories of a whirlwind
year.”
The exhibition runs until
September 26. For more information, call 01924 848806.
Tuck into fine food and free
wine in the National Forest
FOODIES will love The National
Forest this summer, with special
events and local produce to try.
Calke Abbey will host a fine
food fair on July 18, featuring fresh
locally grown and produced food
and drink, such as eggs from
Highfields Happy Hens, biscuits,
vegetables, cheeses and meat.
Additionally, Ashby-based restaurant The Crowded House is running a special voucher scheme
until May 27 that will entitle diners
to a free bottle of wine with their
meal.
01283 551211 or go to the website at visitnationalforest.co.uk.
WARNER Leisure Hotels has added
a number of additional celebrity
dancers to the line up of its Strictly
Come Dancing Experience Breaks
giving fans even more chance to
see their favourite Strictly stars
up close.
Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova join Strictly stars Camilla
Dallerup and Mark Foster on May
21 at Thoresby Hall Hotel for a
three-night break Strictly Break.
Karen Hardy and Craig Revel
Horwood will be joined by Vincent
and Flavia on April 26 for a fournight midweek break at Littlecote
House Hotel.
Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag
will appear on June 14 at Nidd Hall,
near Harrogate, providing an added
bonus for Strictly fans booking the
four-night midweek break starring
Camilla Dallerup and Mark Foster.
The holidays offer a unique
opportunity to see the Strictly
dancers perform some of their own
impressive dance routines at the
hotel, take part in photo sessions
with guests and reveal some of
their secrets from the show in a
question and answer session.
Dresses and costumes from
the hit BBC One TV programme are
also on display and are available to
try on, hire or even buy.
The breaks include a range of
dance classes with top international dancers and the chance to enter
a dance competition judged by the
audience and the Strictly stars.
Prices for the three or four night
breaks, which take place at five
historic Warner Leisure Hotels over
the next four months, start at £369
and include the full Strictly Come
Dancing experience as well as dinner, bed and breakfast and a range
of leisure opportunities.
141 1111 or visit the website at
Day trips set
sail to take
fans to TT
THE Isle of Man Steam Packet
Company will once again operate
its special day trips for TT enthusiasts this summer.
TT fans will be able to experience the world famous races with
sailings from Heysham and
Liverpool on June 5 and from
Heysham on June 7, 9 and 11.
Marketing and communications
director David Findlay said: “The TT
day trips are always popular as
they allow fans, who may be
unable to get the whole week off
work, to experience a day’s racing
at close quarters.
“For those who have never
been to the TT or the island before,
they can act as a taster that will
hopefully encourage them to return
for longer in future years.”
Tickets cost £59 for adults and
£39 for children under 16 including
ferry travel as a foot passenger, onboard meal voucher and coach
transfers to and from a vantage
point to see the day’s racing.
08722 992 992 or go to the website at steam-packet.com.
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS AT THEIR BEST
New Extension to Pont Croesor opens 27th May
• NEW Options - Beddgelert / Aberglaslyn / Pont Croesor
• Our train services operate throughout the year...
• Light refreshments service available on most trains...
• Sandwiches, lunches & cream teas can be arranged for
your group, by prior request...
• Contact our experienced Group Travel staff for our
• CD-Rom brochure, timetable & itinerary suggestions...
FFESTINIOG & WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAYS
Harbour Station, Porthmadog, Gwynedd, LL49 9NF
[email protected]
01766 516024
www.festrail.co.uk
30/4/10
16:50
Page 1
News
History of modern
London revealed
in £20m gallery
THE Museum of London is set to unveil its spectacular
£20 million Galleries of Modern London on May 28.
Visitors will find 7,000 objects, along with interactive
technology, film and changing displays, charting
London’s tumultuous history, rich with drama, triumph
and near disaster.
From the devastation of the Great Fire of 1666 to
wonders of invention at the Great Exhibition in 1851, the
Suffragettes’ fight for voting rights to the fashions which
made the sixties swing, the galleries are an experience
of rebirth and renewal, of excess and struggle.
Every artefact tells a personal story as Londoners
reinvent their city and are changed by it.
The Galleries of Modern London show London reaching out to the world and the world coming to London.
For more information, call 020 7001 9844 or go to
museumoflondon.org.uk.
Ruby Wax to hit keynote
sessions at venue show
✮ LONDON Duck Tours took top prize
in three categories of the Lambeth
Business Awards. More than 300
people attending the event at the
Oval Cricket Ground saw the amphibious tour company walk off with the
top Best Business award after it had
also scooped gongs for best hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism business and for best customer service.
Managing Director John Bigos
said: “The Lambeth Business Awards
have become a prestigious event and
for us to receive not one or two but
a hat-trick of awards including
Business of the Year is simply
magnificent.”
londonducktours.co.uk.
THE 2010 Academic Venue Show
is set to be full of bright ideas, with
a top line up of seminar speakers
offering advice and tips for event
organisers and the exhibition floor
packed with exclusive discounts
and promotions.
Taking place at the Emirates
Stadium in London on May 12, the
show features more than 40 academic venues including six newcomers this year.
Keynote sessions for the three
seminars will be run by comedienne Ruby Wax (pictured) who
gained a masters degree in psychotherapy and studied neuroscience at UCL and now runs workshops on creating more direct
communications with colleagues.
Industry speakers Mike Lyon
and Peter Rand are also presenting.
academicvenueshow.co.uk.
In brief -- In brief -- In brief
EAST COUNTRY WAS SUNNIEST IN ENGLAND
✮ METEOROLOGICAL Office data shows that the East of England was
the driest English region in 2009 and it was the warmest in the months
of June, July and August.
The East of England was also one of the best regions in the UK for
sunshine in 2009.
Information: 01284 727470 or visiteastofengland.com.
DURHAM BISTRO EXPANDS TO MEET VISITOR RUSH
✮ DURHAM Indoor Market’s Cenno Bistro, situated in the heart of
historic Durham City’s Marketplace area, has responded to a surge in
visitor numbers by extending its seating area to accommodate more
than 80 customers.
And much of the reason for the café nearly doubling the number of
its diners is thought to be down to the increase in the number of
coaches visiting Durham.
Durham Markets Company managing director Colin Wilkes said:
“Durham Indoor Markets have been working closely with a variety of
visitor attractions over recent years to help put Durham City on the UK
group travel map - and improvements to the provision of services and
facilities within the tourist magnet of the famous city has undoubtedly
helped.”
Information: 0191 301 8531 or thisisdurham.com.
NOW OPEN SATURDAYS, YEAR ROUND
One thousand years of history in one iconic building
EMAIL UPDATE KEEPS STOKE GROUPS INFORMED
✮ STOKE-ON-TRENT has launched a travel trade e-bulletin that will be
sent out every quarter with information on what’s new for groups.
Items in the first issue include the new award winning Wedgwood
Museum, The Staffordshire Hoard at the Potteries Museum & Art
Gallery, and new behind-the-scene tours at several local attractions.
Information: 01782 236000 or visitstoke.co.uk.
rates
p
u
Gro lable
avai £8
from
Insightful and entertaining 75 minute guided tours
TOURS AVAILABLE FROM JULY
Please call +44 (0)844 847 1672 for further information
For groups call +44 (0)844 847 2498 or visit: www.ticketmaster.co.uk/housesofparliament
30/4/10
16:27
Page 1
News
Conference sets the agenda after hiatus
THE 2010 Tourism Society Conference, returning to London after a
five-year absence, will be held at
the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
This year’s conference will be
sponsored by The Carrier Group,
comprising direct marketing specialists Carrier Direct Marketing
and online marketers Carter
Communication.
The pre-conference programme will kick off on June 13 when
delegates can join a guided study
tour of the 2012 London Olympic
site, or watch a 20/20 cricket cup
match at Lord’s. There will be an
informal networking evening open
to all members.
The conference format on June
14 will be different from that of previous years, aiming to engage delegate participation and debate.
Following the official opening
by our chairman, Alison Cryer,
keynote speaker Tobias Ellwood,
currently shadow minister for culture media and sport, will no doubt
provide first hand insights into the
future of British politics.
The audience will then hear
two plenary sessions.
The first presentation will be
lead by Tourism Alliance chairman
and Tourism Society think tank
chairman Ken Robinson on Optimising Tourism Strategies, Policy,
Funding and Delivery, while the
second presentation will cover
environmental changes and their
impact on the industry.
After a networking lunch delegates will split up into four breakout sessions and will have the
option to go to two of the sessions
during the afternoon.
Sessions will cover: New Media and Marketing for Tomorrow;
Continual Professional Development, Training & Education; A New
Decade of Events Conferences &
Incentives post recession; and The
Future of Tourism Consultancy.
After what will be a thought
provoking conference, dinner will
be held in the famous Marylebone
Cricket Club Long Room .
On June 15, the 2010 Tourism
Society AGM will be held in the
Danubius Hotel at 9am. All members are encouraged to attend.
Members rates are: conference £95, dinner £90, both £165.
Non-members rate are: conference
£120, dinner £100, and both £195.
The study tour on Sunday will
be free and 20/20 tickets will cost
£20 each.
There is a non-member’s package deal of £250, which includes
entry to the conference and dinner
as well as a year’s membership to
the Tourism Society.
We have negotiated delegate
rates at the nearby four-star
Danubius Hotel of £109 per room
per night including breakfast.
For more information and to
register for the conference visit the
Tourism Society website online at
tourismsociety.org.
you know
where to go.
UK
Cardiff
Edinburgh
London
Manchester
Europe
Amsterdam
Barcelona
Berlin
Cologne
Copenhagen
Lisbon
Madrid
Welcoming Groups
from 20 to 500
Munich
Paris
Prague
Rome
Venice
Group Rates Available
contact:
[email protected]
log on to hardrock.com
for a list of our
global locations
Warships to five-man
vessels at Navy Days
THE Royal Navy’s smallest vessel
has joined the growing list of ships
lining up for Navy Days at Portsmouth Naval Base and Historic
Dockyard this summer.
Visitors can get a close-up look
at inshore survey craft HMS
Gleaner, which measures just
14.8m and has a crew of five, at
the three day-event from July 30.
The vessel, positioned at
Devonport Naval Base, Plymouth,
entered service in 1983 and is used
to collect data from the shallowest
inshore waters.
Portsmouth-based minehunter
HMS Cattistock and fishery protection vessel HMS Tyne have also
confirmed their attendance. They
will be joined by the formidable
new Type 45 destroyers HMS Daring and Dauntless, Type 23 frigates
HMS Richmond and Westminster
and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship
Argus, an aviation training and
casualty reception ship.
The event will also boast a lively and colourful line-up of arena
displays including a field gun competition, the White Helmets Motorcycle Display team and Royal
Marines Band.
Navy Days 2010 promises to be
one of the most popular events on
the South Coast this summer, featuring serving warships of the
Royal Navy, ships of foreign navies,
and the world-class attractions of
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard,
including HMS Victory and HMS
Warrior 1860.
Further information, call 023
navydaysuk.co.uk.
Superbreak focuses on
the pull of London breaks
SUPERBREAK has added packages
to see the new shows, exhibitions
and all the latest concerts at the
O2 Arena plus 15 new hotels and a
new London for Less deal to its
2010/11 first edition London
Breaks brochure.
The launch comes at a time
when sales through agents into
London continue to do well, with
bookings in the last 10 months
(April–February) up 34% year-onyear. This means agents are now
booking over a quarter of a million
customers into London with the
operator.
With this year’s brochure,
Superbreak has concentrated on
the sales tool element, highlighting
great reasons to go to London on a
short break.
The brochure has been restyled
and is divided into simple sections
for agents to use to pick out key
packages and selling points rather
than focusing on hotels.
Sales director Ian Mounser
said: “London has proven to be a
fantastic short break destination.”
superbreak.com/agents.
GUITAR VIRTUOSOS PLAY SOUTH BANK FESTIVAL
✮ THE International Guitar Festival in London looks set to wow
crowds with plenty of stars showcasing their skills at the South Bank
Centre this month.
Headline acts include Jose Gonzalez, supported by Tom Kersten’s
G Plus Ensemble, on May 14, Gerardo Nuñez Quintet performing on
May 15 and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet on May 16.
Information: 0844 875 0073 or southbankcentre.co.uk.
UNDERWATER EXHIBIT EXPLORES OCEAN MYSTERIES
✮ THE Deep, a new exhibition at the Natural History Museum,
London, plunges visitors 11,000 metres down into a deep sea environment that holds more mysteries than the surface of the moon.
It shows the bizarre creatures that have adapted to their harsh
world, while relating the history of deep-sea exploration and chronicling the steps that scientists are taking to preserve this important
ecosystem.
The Deep opens on May 28 and runs until September 5.
Information: 020 7942 5000 nhm.ac.uk.
SEA MONSTER ROARS WITH ROLLERCOASTER SUCCESS
✮ SUMMER at Cornwall’s Crealy is set to be a roaring success with
the opening of a major new attraction at the theme park this month.
Morgawr, the park’s first rollercoaster opens on May 30.
Meaning Sea Giant in Cornish, Morgawr is named after the legendary sea monster of Falmouth Bay.
Information: 01395 233 200 or crealy.co.uk.
30/4/10
16:28
Page 1
News
Working to promote Tiny Mites find haven in music and drama
tourism with all
parties is essential
by Mary Rance,
chief executive
WITH so many current MPs retiring
at this election we will see a new
government elected even if Labour
remains in power.
This puts an increased emphasis on the lobbying work we undertake for the tourism industry, as it
may provide a golden opportunity
for fresh outlooks to follow through
on the promises and support that
all parties are currently offering .
We continue to work closely
with all the major political parties
to promote the requirements for
inbound tourism, and hope that by
the end of this month will have a
clearer picture of what the outlook
for us may be from the new government.
✮ Whilst the aviation industry
continues to debate the rights and
wrongs of closing the skies over
the UK for so long as a result of the
volcanic ash cloud from Iceland,
our members have been asking if
there is more that the industry and
UKinbound as a tourism body could
have done to help.
We will be developing ideas for
an industry forum to respond
immediately to industry concerns in
such a crisis and co-ordinate practical initiatives that might help.
This will be established through
consultation with our members and
the industry, so we welcome any
thoughts on this issue.
✮ We are pleased to announce
that Ian Dulson (right) has now
joined the secretariat as marketing
and communications manager.
With over 15 years’ experience
in the tourism and service industry,
Ian has been an active supporter of
UKinbound (and BITOA previously)
as a member and is delighted to
be able to bring this experience
to the role.
Ian can be contacted by email
at [email protected].
HAVEN is launching its new Tiny
Mites Music sessions to encourage children under five years old to
enjoy music, movement and
drama.
Little ones can shake, rattle and
roll to the action songs, rhymes
and rhythm created for them by
puppets and percussion instruments. The sessions are suitable
for babies from six months.
Tiny Mites Music is the latest
addition to the range of fun activities for toddlers on offer in Haven
kids clubs.
Annabel’s Creative Kitchen,
created by top children’s chef
Annabel Karmel, introduces youngsters to cooking, healthy eating and
cake decorating.
Wake and Shake gets the day
started with early morning exer-
TOWER
BRIDGE
✮ At the end of April, our ninth
annual Summer Ball was announced which will be held at the
Sheraton Park Lane Hotel on July 8.
Two thirds of the tickets have
already been sold as support for
this event grows every year.
If you haven’t yet been able to
confirm your tickets then please
contact Ali at alexandrarance@
ukinbound.org or by calling us on
020 7395 7500.
The hotels are located in Tring,
Hertfordshire, further strengthening Macdonald Hotels’ presence in
the South East.
David Roberts, general Manager
for Pendley Manor and The Rose &
Crown Hotel, said: “The partnership
represents a great opportunity for
us to capitalise on Macdonald
Hotels & Resorts’ track record of
operating within the hotel industry
gained over the past two decades.”
macdonaldhotels.co.uk.
Visitors reflect upon GWR
GROUPS have a chance to appreciate the impact that Great Western
Railway has had on the industry
during a new exhibition running at
the National Railway Museum,
York, from May 28.
Great Western Railway Reflections runs until November 1 and
celebrates the 175th anniversary of
the founding of the railway that is
used regularly by the royal family
and holidaymakers heading for the
South West coast.
Other significant events this
year include a farewell from the
holiday parks during May Half Term
week from May 28, Haven has
joined forces with the RNLI to
launch its new life saving course,
Hit the Surf, an opportunity for children to be part of a lifesaving
course, which gives theory and
practical lessons in surf skills and
beach safety.
Hatfield access for coaches
HATFIELD House has opened a
new coach access route and
parking area.
Director Nick Moorhouse
said: “After the last collision
with the stone gate at Station
Lodge it became clear that
the Victorian gateway was
just not suitable for today’s
traffic.”
The stately home has now
opened up a new gateway for
coaches and minibuses
enabling access directly to the
area around Palace Green.
“Visitors have a short level
walk to the amenities and
shopping in Stable Yard, which
can now be open for a much
longer period,” said Mr
Moorhouse.
01707 287010 or go to
hatfield-house.co.uk.
SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF LONDON
DISCOVER ALL OF LONDON’S
KEY ATTRACTIONS
ST PAUL’S
CATHEDRAL
BIG BEN
MacDonald to enhance
portfolio with Tring hotels
MACDONALD Hotels & Resorts has
secured two new contracts under
its new division Macdonald Hotels
Management Services.
The division was set up to gain
sales, marketing and management
contracts for existing hotels, with
a view to further enhancing Macdonald Hotels’ varied portfolio of
luxury properties.
With agreements now in place
with Pendley Manor and The Rose
& Crown Hotel, the group will manage the sales and marketing initiatives for both properties.
cise, using lots of lively games and
brightly coloured equipment that
will tempt kids to join in and burn
off their energy.
And this year Learn2Swim
lessons on Haven parks are free of
charge too, with special sessions
for parents and babies.
Haven has also launched a fun
new family activity to help children
between the ages of five and 11
understand that its parks are a
haven for wildlife as well as people
and discover more about the
nature on their doorstop.
Families set out on the Haven
Nature Trail around the park with
each child receiving a nature trail
booklet to complete during the
activity that will have them honing
their skills as a wildlife detective.
At Devon Cliffs and Kiln Park
museum of the record-breaking
Mallard.
The iconic locomotive leaves on
June 23 to return to its home at
Locomotion, the railway museum
at Shildon. Visitors will see Mallard
pulled from the National Railway
Museum by Tornado.
Also at the end of June, visitors
to the museum will see a new
interpretation of the locomotive
and carriage, Wainwright D Class
737 and Topaz in the Great Hall.
08448 153139 or go to nrm.org.uk.
• OPEN-TOP BUS TOUR
• LIVE GUIDE OR
AUDIO TOUR
• CHOICE OF
8 LANGUAGES
• HOP-ON
HOP-OFF
• FREE RIVER
CRUISE
• FREE WALKING
TOURS
• 24 HOUR TICKET
LONDON EYE
TRAFALGAR
SQUARE
Adults £25.00 Child
...PLUS MANY MORE!
5-15
£10.00
OVER 70 DEPARTURE POINTS - INCLUDING BAKER ST STATION,
GREEN PARK, VICTORIA STATION AND MARBLE ARCH. Every 10-30 minutes
www.bigbustours.com
•
[email protected]
30/4/10
18:27
Page 1
West Country
Isles of Scilly
Picture these islands
as a centre for arts
Rail and boat services
rebrand in Dartmouth
THE new-look Dartmouth Steam
Railway and River Boat Company
opened for business last month
with a new logo, website and fresh
concept. The company says its
new look aims to reflect the historic nature of the railway and
riverboats, and showcase it as a
21st century attraction.
General manager Andrew Pooley explained: “In the past, the
Paignton and Dartmouth Steam
Railway and River Link have been
known by a number of different
names and recent market research
showed that there was still considerable confusion in the market.
“With this new company
name, I see great opportunity to
capitalise on the back of a fantastic
2009 season and make us a musthave experience for people visiting
the area.”
Further details can be seen at
www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk, a
new website which evokes the age
of steam, and emphasises the fun
on offer by travelling by steam railway and river boat.
The company has introduced a
number of new excursions in and
around the South Devon area this
season, including a fortnightly boat
trip from Dartmouth to Salcombe,
featuring an afternoon cream tea
on the return trip.
The Stoke Gabriel ferry is now a
permanent and regular service on
the River Dart and, along with the
Dittisham ferry, the Dartmouth
Steam Railway and River Boat
Company is now helping to link
communities.
01803 555872 or go to the website at dartmouthrailriver.co.uk.
Isles Scilly
of
inclusive holidays
The Isles of Scilly’s first and only dedicated
inclusive travel service.
One phone call and your tailored holiday
is booked.
Excellent offers and late deals all year
round... all backed up with unrivalled local
knowledge and love of the islands!
Call us today for your one stop shop to the
finest holidays on Scilly.
Our office is on Bryher
and you can call us on
Scilly
Isles Scilly
of
inclusive holidays
2010
01720 423239
or visit our website
islesofscillyholidays.co.uk
VISITORS to the Isles of Scilly this
month can catch ArtScilly 2010,
the destination’s first islands-wide
arts festival.
Running from May 8-15, the
festival celebrates the environment
of the Isles of Scilly that plays an
important part in the inspiration of
art in its many forms.
The Isles of Scilly represent the
smallest of the UK’s 41 Areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty and
possess a diversity of scenery that
belies their small scale.
The resulting quality of light
enhances colour and clarity, providing an artistic backdrop like no
other location in the UK. All this
results in a thriving arts movement
where each island boasts its own
arts community, with their own
unique passions and experiences.
ArtScilly 2010, in its inaugural
year, is organised as a partnership
between the Council of the Isles of
Scilly and the local community of
artists, galleries, community organisations and craftspeople, presenting the best, exciting and most
intriguing elements that local arts
have to offer.
The timetable of events and
exhibitions will be tailored around a
wide range of demonstrations, displays, exhibitions, events, talks,
walks and workshops, bringing a
greater understanding and appreciation of the talent on the islands.
The bulk of the programme is
focused on the main island of St
Hugh Town Harbour – and Jamies flowers – in the Isles of Scilly.
Mary’s but events are also held on
Bryher, St Martin’s and Tresco.
Activities cover a wide spectrum, including fine art, arts and
crafts, literature and creative writing, performing arts such as drama
and music, photography and film.
Running in conjunction with
ArtScilly 2010 is the four-day Ale &
Music Festival on Tresco, from May
14–17.
For more Isle of Scilly information, call 01720 424031 or go to
the website at simplyscilly.co.uk.
Cathedral serves food
for hungry pilgrims
TINTAGEL Castle: the reputed birthplace of King Arthur.
English Heritage opens
the doors to Camelot
KING Arthur, World War II and the
Stone Age are among themes to
be discovered at English Heritage
sites in the West Country
Cornwall’s Tintagel Castle is
the reputed birthplace of the legendary King Arthur and groups can
explore the 13th century ruins and
walk the narrow and rugged trail
across the wild Tintagel Island for
spectacular views.
A £200,000 facelift has seen
the site café transformed into a
smart 44-seat restaurant aimed at
showcasing the best Cornish food
and drink. With an additional 40
seats outside, the café is now
open year round.
Elsewhere in Cornwall, groups
can visit secret World War II military defences at Pendennis Castle
at the mouth of the River Fal.
World War II secret underground defences feature two tunnels running about 50 yards from
the castle leading to the Half Moon
Battery gun emplacement. Groups
can see the huge Second World
War guns and the magazines
where ammunition was stored.
Underground special effects recreate the drama of an air raid,
while a re-constructed World War
II Battery Observation Post offers
superb views and fascinating
range-finding equipment and gun.
From the First World War, a
Guard House and a small museum
attached to the gift shop includes a
display of weapons and ammunition and tells more about the 450year history of the castle.
Groups of 11 people or more
get 15% discounts at Tintagel and
Pendennis while tour leaders and
coach drivers are admitted free.
Free familiarisation visits can be
arranged.
In Wiltshire, visitors will encounter the mystery of the ancient
stone circle of Stonehenge, English
Heritage’s most famous and most
visited historic attraction, and a
World Heritage Site.
With the first phase built over
5,000 years ago, speculation still
surrounds the purpose of the monument, which is aligned with the
rising of the mid-summer sun.
Groups can take an audio tour
and visits to the centre circle outside normal opening hours may be
possible by calling 01722 343834.
A well-stocked gift shop and
The Stonehenge Kitchen, serving
hot and cold drinks and snacks, are
available.
Groups of 11 people or more
get a 10% discount. Tour leader
and coach driver are admitted free.
For more information, visit the
website at english-heritage.org.uk.
GLOUCESTER Cathedral will offer
an extra tasty reason to visit from
this month: a unique Pilgrim Pie
made exclusively from ingredients
sourced in Gloucestershire.
Now as well as being wowed
by the heritage and history of the
magnificent building, visitors can
also be part of a 900-year tradition
when they take a break in the coffee shop.
Delving back in to medieval
recipes, a Stroud pasty company
has emerged triumphant in a hotly
contested competition to create
the special pie to be sold exclusively in the coffee shop at
Gloucester Cathedral.
But while a reminder of the
days of hungry pilgrimages, the
plans may contravene an ancient
law dating from the time of the
Domesday Book.
One local researcher has
claimed that in the 11th century
Egbert of Wessex banned the sale
of the pies, possibly because they
proved a little too popular with
the clergy.
However, the Cathedral says
that while it will bear the proclamation in mind, it is confident it
can go ahead and offer the modern
day version.
Now visitors to the popular
tourist spot are set to be able to
tuck in to both the Pilgrim Pie – a
hogget lamb, onion, garlic, white
beans, herbs and honey-roasted
carrot pie – and a new vegetarian
option, Monk’s Pie, with a filling of
white beans, onions, spinach, nettles, fresh herbs and Single
Gloucester cheese.
Both pies are triangular in
shape to represent the Holy Trinity
and are enclosed in golden pastry.
01452 396572 or go to the website at thecityofgloucester.co.uk.
Six-day South West
tour Travels by Train
GRAND UK Holidays has added
a rail tour of the South West to
its growing Travel by Train
portfolio.
The South West & Scillies
holiday departs from Waterloo
station in London and takes
customers to Torquay, Penzance, the Scilly Isles and
Land’s End.
It includes a steam train
journey between Paignton and
Kingswear, a cruise along the
River Dart, a sailing on the
Scillonian and a coach trip to
St Michael’s Mount.
The six-day holiday costs
£599 per person.
Grand UK Holidays also
offers a wide range of coach
touring holidays of the South
West of England, including a
new five-day Dorset Riviera
itinerary that costs from £289
per person.
Its sister brand, Grand UK
Hotel, features two hotels in
the region: the Hotel Richmond
in Torquay and Daunceys in
Weston-super-Mare.
Daunceys was acquired in
March and packages to the
hotel will be featured in the
New Tours section of the tour
operator’s website and in its
2010-11 brochure, due out this
month.
The 73-room Grade-II listed
Daunceys Hotel becomes the
10th in Grand UK Hotels’ growing range of properties in popular British seaside resorts and
scenic settings.
01603 619933 or see the website at grandukholidays.com.
29/4/10
15:58
Page 1
South West and Isles of Scilly
Scilly link out of dock
Spend more
time with
Salisbury
treasures
EXPLORING Salisbury Cathedral has been made easier for
Sunday visitors this summer.
Between the May Bank
Holiday weekend and August
Bank holiday weekend, May 30
to August 29 inclusive, visitors
will be able to enjoy a longer
time in this beautiful and historic building, see its treasures
and soak up its atmosphere
before Evensong takes place at
the later time of 4.30pm.
Tower Tours on Sundays are
between 2pm and 4pm during
the summer and can be booked
in advance by calling 01722
555156.
For more information, go to
salcath.co.uk.
Discover pioneering
aircraft after hours
THE Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton is taking part in the national
Night at the Museum intiative on
May 14.
Visitors will be able to take part
in the event from 7pm to 10pm at
the Museum’s Reserve Collection
store, Cobham Hall.
Night at the Museum gives an
opportunity for visitors to meet the
curators, find out about how the
museum looks after its collection
and learn more about the preservation of records and artefacts.
There will also be the chance to
go on specialised tours of stores
rarely open to the public to see
how the museum cares for its documents, small objects and aviation
collections.
SCILLONIAN III, the surface link
between the mainland and Isles of
Scilly, is back in full service after
her annual dry-dock maintenance.
Scilly Steamship Company
chief executive Jeff Marston said:
“The team in the dry dock worked
extremely hard to ensure that
Scillonian III was able to leave on
time to allow for final works
onboard ahead of her first voyage
of the season.
Scillonian III sailed her maiden
voyage on May 19, 1977 and has
become a signature sight of the
Islands and a preferred method of
travel for many visitors and islanders alike. Scillonian III sails from
Penzance to the Isle of Scilly’s
main island, St Mary’s, Monday to
Saturday including Bank Holidays
until October 30.
Meanwhile, Cornwall’s longest
serving airline, Skybus, celebrated
its 25th anniversary last year.
Back in April 1984 there was
just one pilot and one Britton
Norman DHC-6 Aircraft. Today, the
airline operates three De Havilland
DHC-6 Twin Otters and three
Britten Norman Islanders and carries more than 60,000 people.
The airline flies to St Mary’s
from Land’s End, taking 15 minutes, from Newquay (30 mins),
Exeter (60 mins), Bristol (70 mins)
and Southampton (90 mins).
islesofscilly-travel.co.uk.
Skybus landing at Land’s End.
Cobham Hall houses more than
30 historic aircraft and some five
miles of shelving that accommodates many of the museum”s
records (two million of them) and
30,000 artefacts.
Among these are one of the
largest collections of Westland
Helicopters, a Supermarine 510 –
the first swept wing jet aircraft to
land on an aircraft carrier – and the
Gazelle helicopter in which The
Duke of York learnt to fly.
There will be a limited number
of tickets for this event. They cost
£5 and will be sold on a first-come
first-served basis.
01935 840565 or go to the website at fleetairarm.com.
Isles pack their event schedule
IF clients think the Isles of Scilly is
a quiet, beach-only destination off
the tip of Lands End with only a limited number of things to do, travel
agents can tell them to think again.
The UK’s only island archipelago is becoming an event-rich destination, making it ideal for those
looking for a combination of stunning views with things to do and
see. Only a few weeks after the
annual Walking and Folk Festival,
the islands are launching into its
first art festival from May 8–15.
And as the season develops,
visitors can look forward to further
events including The Tresco Ale
and Music Festival, from May
14–17; The Tresco Cider Festival,
June 3–4; and The Round the
Island Race on August 1.
In addition, there are produce
and craft markets held each month,
as well as the islands’ famous gig
races that are held weekly on
Wednesday and Friday evenings.
“Many people are unaware just
how much happens on the Isles of
THE Isles of Scilly’s world-famous Tresco Abbey Gardens.
Scilly in terms of events and festivals,” said Jess Smalley of Island
Marketing. “These add another
level of flavour and colour to what
renowned travel guides such as
Frommer’s say is one of the
World’s Top 10 destinations.”
In the front line of the destination’s tourism industry is Isles of
Scilly Inclusive Holidays, the islands’ first and only dedicated inclusive travel service.
Isle of Scilly Inclusive Holidays
partner Gill Dan said: “Our visitors
can expect some of the most stunning Atlantic-washed beaches in
the UK, exceptional wildlife, boat
trips, great places to eat, wonderful walks and the world-famous
Tresco Abbey Gardens to name just
a few."
at islesofscillyholidays.co.uk.
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30/4/10
18:29
Page 1
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2010
International pull of Scottish showcase
WITH buyers from all around
the world thronging the aisles
of Glasgow’s Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre,
VisitScotland Expo 2010 has
been widely hailed as one of
the best in the event’s 30-year
history.
Scotland’s leading travel
trade exhibition last month
drew buyers from across the
UK and Ireland and from 30 different overseas countries including China, North America,
India, Japan, Australasia and
Europe.
More than 500 of the
world’s key buyers came from
overseas.
Of particular interest to the
Chinese buyers, was the
launch of the Chinese Toolkit.
Following the Scottish government’s identification of
China as a key market, the
toolkit is a comprehensive
online resource for Scottish
hotels, shops and visitor attractions.
While some exhibitors at
Expo were handing out squares
of tablet – traditional Scottish
confectionery – or nips of
whisky, other stands decided
to go the extra mile to attract
customers.
There were many “aws”
emanating from the Drumlanrig
Castle and Country Estate
stand, where gun dogs Buccleuch Charm, Buccleuch Bucks
Fizz and Buccleuch Saphire
were keeping the crowds
entertained.
VisitMidlothian had help
from a python named The
Mask, while Cruise Loch Lomond, winner of the VisitScotland Most Effective Exhibitor Award, had a stand shaped
like the bow of a boat, complete with portholes and views
of the loch.
Archie MacKenzie-Baldursson, who was named Most
Effective First-Timer with his
Argyll and Highland Incoming
stand, said he owed much of
his exhibit’s success to the
BIG BUSINESS: More than 500 international buyers attended this
year’s VisitScotland Expo at Glasgow’s SECC.
presence of a 2.5-metre tall
4x4 vehicle the company uses
on its tours.
“We are hoping to have a
small fleet of them in the coming years,” said Mr MacKenzieBaldursson, the company’s comanager.
Mr MacKenzie-Baldursson
has been coming to Expo as an
overseas buyer for the last five
years, but following his move
from Denmark to Scotland, this
was his first year as an
exhibitor.
Argyll and Highland Incoming has this year been established as both a tour operator
and a destination management
company.
“The response we had at
Expo has been brilliant – way
ahead of expectations,” said
Mr MacKenzie-Baldursson.
Iain Moore, director of
Cruise Loch Lomond, said: “This
year’s Expo was one of the
strongest we have ever had.”
Preparations are currently
under way for VisitScotland
Expo 2011, which takes place
at the AECC in Aberdeen on
April 13 and 14.
Lorna Mangon with VisitScotland chief executive Philip Riddle.
Drawing upon a dream
VISITSCOTLAND and interior design students from Glasgow School
of Art have teamed up to create a
‘dream’ contemporary hotel, with
the results unveiled at VisitScotland Expo.
As part of their degree assessment, 23 budding designers from
six countries spent months in talks
with VisitScotland’s Quality Advisors and marketing specialists.
However the design brief was
not simply about creating a luxury
five star look.
In fact the winning design,
as nominated by VisitScotland’s
Quality Assurance team was in the
three-star category.
Lorna Mangon from Beverley,
East Yorkshire, was the student
behind the VisitScotland Quality
Assurance team’s favourite design,
which captured the essence of
Glasgow’s culture.
Lorna included aspects of iconic Glaswegian design in her work
and said she was inspired by the
urban scene she experienced while
studying in the city.
For Scotland information, call
0131 472 2222 or go to the website at visitscotland.com.
Artists choose Dumfries & Galloway
AS
I
TA
S
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CO IS
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P
NEW FOR 2010
SCOTTISH HERITAGE PASS
DISCOVER 5000 YEARS OF HISTORY
WITH ONE PASS
A seven day pass offering entry to over 120 of Scotland’s
historic attractions.
Includes all Historic Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland and selected
members of The Historic Houses Association Scotland – this includes
Edinburgh Castle, Culloden Battlefield, Traquair House, Stirling Castle,
Culzean Castle, Hopetoun House, and Urquhart Castle to name but a few.
·
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20% Commission on all sales
Passes are sold exclusively through the travel trade
To order your Scottish Heritage Passes call +44 (0) 131 668 8797
or email [email protected]
DUMFRIES & Galloway is billing
itself as the UK’s home of environmental art with the launch of
Destination Dumfries & Galloway’s
Spring into Summer Campaign.
Within easy travelling from
Glasgow and Newcastle, Dumfries
& Galloway’s Spring into Summer
invites creative tourists to get out
of the cities and experience the
pleasure of discovering a wealth of
creativity in the area.
A new website, now online at
createscape.co.uk, highlights the
range of creative attractions and
activities available to visitors who
demand more from their valuable
holiday time.
The website offers a selection
of promotions and packages not
available anywhere else and is
designed to evolve over time with
the support of the local community.
Destination Dumfries & Galloway chairman Liz Chambers said:
“The Spring into Summer campaign highlights what an incredible
range of attractions and activities
there are in the area and we’re
sure people discovering this un-
TOP Scottish visitor attractions
took part in a Food Forum at House
for an Art Lover in Glasgow last
month.
The event, organised by the
Association of Scottish Visitor
Attractions (ASVA) and supported
by the Scottish Government, aimed
to extend awareness of the benefits of using fresh, local produce to
the key visitor attractions sector.
ASVA chief executive Eva
Making a meal of local
food at visitor attractions
McDiarmid said: “With visitors
telling us they want to eat locally,
distinctive food and experience
new and exciting flavours, it’s
more important than ever that visitor attractions ensure they’re mak-
spoilt region will return again and
again.”
Dumfries & Galloway claims it
is now established as the home of
environmental art with many
artists choosing to live in the area.
Recent projects include sculptor Andy Goldsworthy’s Scottish
Natural Heritage commission, Striding Arches, around Cairnhead and
the Big Hush collaboration by sculptor Matt Baker and writer Mary
Smith at the Cairnsmore Reserve.
For more information, go to the
website at createscape.co.uk.
ing the most of Scotland’s worldclass produce.
“The aim of this event was to
help them incorporate quality
Scottish food and drink into their
overall product offering.”
Discounted NTS multi-day passes help
visitors to discover Scottish heritage
VISITORS to the National Trust for
Scotland’s stand found that the
organisation’s 2011 Discover
Tickets scheme now offers agents
25% commission on sales – up
from 20% offered for 2010.
The three-, seven- and 14-day
passes, which are available only to
the travel trade to sell on to clients,
allow access to more than 90 destinations across Scotland.
These include Robert Burns
Birthplace Museum, due to open
this autumn, the five-star visitor
attraction at Culloden Battlefield,
Culzean Castle, Inverewe Garden
and Bannockburn Battlefield.
National Trust for Scotland says
its Discover Tickets are ideal for
FITs, short-beaks and extended holidays, incentives, multi-attraction
coach visits and organised tours.
It calculates that a three-day
adult pass can save the bearer
45% on 2010 standard admission
rates, while the seven-day pass
can offer a 60% saving and the 14day version, up to 74%.
The National Trust for Scotland
adds that its Discover Ticket
vouchers are risk-free as they are
issued on a sale or return basis.
In further news, the National
Trust for Scotland is holding its
2010 group rates for 65% of its
attractions until February 29, 2012.
This means that group tour
organisers can save clients up to
35% on standard admission prices.
nats.org.uk/traveltrade.
30/4/10
15:22
Page 1
expo 2010
Chairman
Cantlay’s
summary
of Expo
success
VISITSCOTLAND’S newly elected chairman, Mike Cantlay,
reflects on this year’s premier
travel exhibition in Scotland:
“Last month’s VisitScotland
Expo at Glasgow’s SECC was my
first as the new chairman of VisitScotland and, after speaking to
numerous exhibitors and buyers, I
am happy to report that it is being
hailed as one of the best we have
ever had.
“Having enjoyed strong links
with tourism throughout my career,
particularly as chairman and managing director of William Glen
Limited, Scotland’s flagship business-to-business event for the
travel trade has always been a key
date in my diary.
“VisitScotland Expo is an important event for anyone in the
industry looking for a platform to
promote their business to tour
operators and travel agents from
all over the world. It provides an
opportunity for them to showcase
their products and forge contacts,
with potentially lucrative results.
“In addition to providing a £1.7
million boost to the Glasgow economy, the average potential value of
Historic Scotland unveils Scottish Heritage
Pass and hails £12m Royal Palace project
business as a result of attending
Expo is £28,000, with some companies quoting values as high as
£100,000.
“The two-day event provides
international and UK-based buyers
the chance to sample the very best
that Scotland has to offer, be it luxury coach tours of the Highlands,
scenic boat trips on Loch Lomond
or deluxe inner-city hotel breaks.
“As well as nearly 350 buyers
from the UK, this year Expo welcomed more than 500 delegates
from overseas, including a record
40 buyers from India and, for the
very first time, representatives
from Lithuania.
“Of course, Expo 2010 took
something of a dramatic turn at the
end of day one following the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, the Icelandic
volcano whose ash brought much
of northern European air travel to a
grinding halt.
“Thankfully, the wonderful staff
at VisitScotland rose to the challenge, helping 150 overseas visitors with their enquiries about
transport and accommodation.
Suppliers and exhibitors also provided invaluable support.”
TRAVEL trade operators visiting
Expo 2010 came face to face with
members of Scotland’s Renaissance royal family.
The costumed performers gave
an idea of what awaits visitors
when the refurbished 16th-century
palace at Stirling Castle reopens to
the public next spring.
This year Historic Scotland
used the show to highlight its £12
million palace project and to promote the new Scottish Heritage
Pass, which is exclusive to the travel trade, and offers cut-price entry
to over 120 top attractions.
The pass is a collaboration
between Historic Scotland, the
National Trust for Scotland and
selected members of the Historic
Houses Association for Scotland.
Historic Scotland travel trade
manager Graeme Bowie said: “It
was great to be able to give people
a sneak preview of what visitors
will be able to enjoy at the palace
next year.
“The performers brought a real
splash of colour to this year’s Expo,
and will really help bring the palace
to life when its doors open next
spring.
“The palace project will let visitors from around the world step
back in time and glimpse life at a
magnificent Renaissance royal
court. It will be a superb new
attraction not just for Stirling and
the surrounding area but for all of
Scotland.
“At the same time I’m delighted
GATHERING for the launch of the new Scottish Heritage Pass are, from the
left: Jester; King James V of Scotland; Historic Scotland sales manager
Graeme Bowie; Mike Cantlay, chairman, VisitScotland; Pietro Cecchini,
travel trade national manager, National Trust for Scotland; Queen Mary of
Guise; and the English ambassador to the Scottish court.
CHILLING OUT:
Expo delegates
and characters
get in the mood
for a networking
event at
SNO!zone
Scotland, the
UK’s longest
indoor real
snow slope
at Xscape,
Renfrew.
that the travel trade will be able to
offer visitors the new Scottish
Heritage Pass, which provides
excellent value and is a convenient
way to enjoy a huge variety of leading attractions.”
The Scottish Heritage Pass,
which lasts seven days, builds on
the success of the Homecoming
Pass, which was pioneered during
the Scottish Government’s 2009
Year of Homecoming and will be
especially attractive for organised
tours.
Visitors spending a week in
Scotland will be able to see attractions like Edinburgh, Stirling and
Urquhart castles, Skara Brae and
Maeshowe, Bannockburn, Glencoe
and Culloden, Falkland Palace, the
Burns National Heritage Park,
Traquair House and Hopetoun
House for £35 per adult, £17.50
per child and £26 for concessions.
historic-scotland.gov.uk.
FANFARE:
Characters from
Scotland’s past
were promoting
the £12 million
refurbishment of
the Royal Palace
of King James V,
which reopens
at Stirling Castle
next year.
expo2011
Scotland’s business-to-business event
for the travel industry, VisitScotland Expo is
an established and exciting opportunity to
view products and services, showcasing the
best tourism products Scotland has to offer
in a lively trade show setting.
Your island adventure
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To register as a buyer please log on to
www.visitscotlandexpo.com and click on
buyers registration on the home page.
VisitScotland Expo 2011
Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre
13 & 14 April 2011
A VisitScotland event
VisitScotland
Ocean Point One
94 Ocean Drive
Edinburgh EH6 6JH
T: +44 (0)131 472 2222
F: +44 (0)131 472 2223
www.visitscotlandexpo.com
Consumer:
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Trade:
www.visitscotland.org
30/4/10
17:02
Page 1
Southern England
Famous Five
tour of a life
in illustration
GROUP organisers looking for
something new for tours in Pool
can consider Eileen Soper’s Illustrated Worlds.
Opened last year as the
newest attraction in this southern
resort, the museum celebrates the
life and work of Eileen Soper who
illustrated Enid Blyton’s children’s
books.
Perfect for visitors who grew
up with Famous Five or Secret
Seven books, Eileen Soper’s Illustrated Worlds features footage
and illustrations by Eileen Soper,
plus puzzles, games, a mirror maze
and a shop.
The museum is situated next
door to popular Poole Pottery and
close to the town’s drop-off point.
Groups visiting Eileen Soper’s Illustrated Worlds are offered one free
place for bookings of 15 people or
more, and tickets cost £3.75.
For more information, 01202
670504 or go to gingerpop.co.uk.
At Poole Pottery, groups can
paint their own pot and have it
sent home, watch potters and
painters at work and listen to free
group talks that must be booked in
advance.
Groups are also offered up to
50% off a wide range of second
quality giftware.
For something a bit different,
groups can take a guided spooky
Ghost Walk around Poole’s historic
old town.
Tailor-made itineraries highlight
the town’s past, rich in smuggler
and pirate history. Trips can be
arranged through Poole Welcome
Centre on 01202 253253.
Regional coach tours
take a look at history
Recent restoration makes this
Tudor mansion an ‘Ultra’ visit
KENT’S Hall Place and Gardens has
unveiled new tours, giving groups a
greater range of options when visiting the recently restored Tudor
mansion, which is set in awardwinning gardens.
In addition to the popular tours
of the house and gardens, groups
can book a range of costumed
tours to take them back in time.
Groups will also enjoy the riverside tearoom’s homemade lunches
and afternoon teas.
Agents and operators should
quote Travel GBI for special offers
and group benefits.
To organise a tailor-made visit,
please telephone 020 8298 6951
or send an email to grouptours@
bexleyheritagetrust.org.uk.
Seaside special runs customers from
London to Bournemouth for £1.50
GREYHOUND UK has extended its
coach services to the seaside town
of Bournemouth.
The company is promoting its
£1 plus 50p booking fee ‘seaside
specials’ from Bullied Way, Victoria, London direct to Bournemouth’s
seafront.
NO
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Beauty in all seasons
Whatever time of year you visit, you'll find there is
always something new and delightful to discover;
from special tours of the sumptuous State Rooms
to the award-winning Formal Gardens and the
fascinating visitor experience:
Blenheim Palace: ‘The Untold Story’
300 YEARS of ENTICING TALES
New ‘Garden Discovery Tours’ in 2010
Only 8 miles from Oxford in the midst of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds
Open up to
12 December 2010
for more information
visit blenheimpalace.com
or call 01993 811 091.
Highlights include the Tudor Life
Tour, focusing on the lives of the
rich and poor when Hall Place was
built in 1537. Groups can also
experience Hall Place in the late
19th century with a Victorian Tour
or discover Hall Place’s wartime
history when it was an intercept
station for the Enigma Project with
an exclusive ‘Operation Ultra’ tour.
Britain’s Greatest Palace
Greyhound also revealed that it
has linked its services to the Isle of
Wight from May 1 with fares starting at £8.
The company has teamed up
with Hovertravel, the Portsmouthbased hovercraft service to the
island, and Southern Vectis, the
Isle of Wight’s local bus service.
The three organisations will provide services from London to anywhere on the island through one
integrated ticket.
greyhounduk.com.
Beachy Head Marathon
RUNNERS, joggers and walkers
from around the UK can put their
best foot forward and enter for the
30th Beachy Head Marathon, the
UK’s largest off road course.
Entries have officially opened
for this year’s Beachy Head Marathon taking place over a challenging 26-mile cross-country route
across the new South Downs
National Park on October 23.
With the 1,750 places always
filling up well before the event, participants can enter online by visiting runnersworld.co.uk.
visiteastbourne.com.
Hand-to-hand combat
and pirates at Arundel
THE battlements of 11th century
Arundel Castle will once again ring
to the sound of medieval military
mayhem this summer, as well as
some serious swashbuckling from
18th century pirates.
Thousands of visitors are
expected to flock to the landmark
castle to witness a series of reenactments of sights and sounds
from the turbulent period when the
castle was built.
Staged by Sussex-based living
history group Raven Tor, Arundel
Castle will be under siege on May
30–31, while on June 4 and July
18 it will be the turn of the pirates
to put in an appearance, with havea-go fencing and archery.
There will be more hand-tohand combat and archery, together
with crafts, cooking and storytelling during a mediaeval tournament from June 26–27, while from
July 27 – August 1 the castle and
grounds play host to a mediaeval
encampment, with jousting as a
highlight.
For further information and a
full programme of summer events,
call 01903 882173 or go to the
website at arundelcastle.org.
COACH specialist Grand UK Holidays has added four tours of South
East England to its range for this
summer.
Two are based in Kent – ‘The
Kentish Rover’ and ‘Defence of the
Realm’ – while the others are
based in Hastings.
‘The Kentish Rover’ tour visits
Whitstable, Herne Bay, Canterbury
and Folkestone, and costs from
£239 per person for five days.
‘Defence of the Realm’ explores sites that played a pivotal
role in the defence of our shores,
including Dover Castle, Battle of
Britain Museum, and the Historic
Dockyards in Chatham. It costs
from £269 per person for five days.
Both are based at the Glenwood
Hotel in Margate.
Based at the Chatsworth Hotel
in Hastings are the other two new
tours: ‘1066 Country’ and ‘Classic
Gardens of Southern England’.
The ‘1066 Country’ tour includes Battle, Rye and Tenterden,
and costs from £269 per person for
five days.
The ‘Gardens’ tour visits Great
Dixter, Sissinghurst Castle and
Bateman’s – the former home of
Rudyard Kipling.
01603 619933 or go to the website at grandukholidays.com.
Dinosaurs and steam
engines at Wight World
WIGHTLINK has lined up a diverse
list including dinosaurs, owls,
lemurs, shire horses and a white
lion, as well as an 11th century
castle and a steam railway for its
annual Days Out programme.
Just launched, Wight World
features 17 top Isle of Wight
attractions, available as special
days out trips from cross-Solent
operator Wightlink that include
return car ferry travel from Portsmouth or Lymington and make an
ideal day out for holidaymakers
staying in Hampshire or Sussex.
Featuring prices that are even
cheaper than last year, the Wight
World Days Out are valid for travel
throughout 2010 and provide bargain day trip options for families.
Ticket prices start from £39.60
for four people travelling in a car,
and the top attractions featured
include Dinosaur Isle, Blackgang
Chine, Osborne House and Isle of
Wight Zoo.
There are two additions to the
2010 line up: Mottistone Manor
Garden, where families can explore the hidden pathways and
colourful grounds that surround the
Elizabethan manor house, and
Shanklin Chine, home to woodland, rare plants and wildlife.
Many of the attractions have
introduced new activities and features for 2010.
wightlink.co.uk.
29/4/10
16:23
Page 1
Southern England
Isle of Wight puts on
Boots acoustic show
POP sensation Little Boots will be
dropping in on the Isle of Wight
Festival for a one-off performance
on the Acoustic Stage on June 12,
being one of the artist’s few live
gigs this summer.
Festival-goers will be treated to
an exclusive, stripped-back set giving a new twist to her synthsoaked melodies.
Victoria Hesketh, aka Little
Boots, burst onto the scene with
the release of her highly acclaimed
debut album, Hands, which
spawned hits including New In
Town and Remedy, making her pop
music’s most talked about new
star and a welcome addition to the
Isle of Wight Festival’s already
impressive line-up.
In the heart of the festival’s
arboretum, the Acoustic Stage will
play host to some surprise guests
over the weekend, making it the
perfect location to see some truly
original music while taking in the
festival’s unique atmosphere.
The festival, which has been
held on the Isle of Wight since
1968, runs from June 11–13.
For more information, log on to
isleofwightfestival.com.
One-night stands for
shopping and theatre
SHEARINGS has added a one-night
London & Oxford Shopper package
to its product for the south east
of England, priced from £59 per
person.
Clients stay in the Ramada Hotel, Hemel Hempstead, and have
free time for shopping in London on
Saturday with an en-route stop in
Oxford on Sunday. This holiday
departs on November 13 and 20,
and on December 4 and 11.
Also new are one-night theatre
breaks costing from £135 per per-
son, allowing passengers to enjoy
an overnight stay in London while
also taking in a West End show.
The holiday includes a guided
tour of London, free time in Covent
Garden on Sunday, transfer to and
from theatre and bed and breakfast
accommodation at a Greater London hotel.
A number of departure dates
are available.
01942 823449 or visit the website
Celebrate oyster fishing
at Whitstable event
ONE of Kent’s most popular annual
attractions, the Whitstable Oyster
Festival, celebrates the town’s
unique history.
Centred on the folklore and traditions of the oyster fishing industry, the festival has grown into a
week-long celebration of local culture, with a programme of theatre,
art, music, dance and food.
Running this year from July
24–30, the festival begins with the
Landing of the Oysters and colourful Oyster Parade through the
town, followed by street entertainment, dancing, music and seaside
entertainment.
For lovers of good food, the
two-day EPICentre food fair in the
working harbour is a major attraction, as well as the town’s welldeserved seafood reputation.
For further information, log on
to whitstableoysterfestival.com.
Stroll through 1400 years
of Canterbury history
Famous festival series
kicks off in Brighton
BILLED as Britain’s favourite cityby-the-sea, Brighton has staked its
claim as the UK’s number one festival destination.
Celebrations have already begun as Brighton & Hove gears up
for its greatest ever event line-up.
With a cornucopia of culture,
comedy and creativity, Brighton &
Hove plays host to 100 yachts, 300
concerts, 1,000 caped crusaders,
1,000 artists, 1,200 live performances and 2,500 Minis – and
that’s just this month.
“This year marks yet another
landmark for our burgeoning festival scene,” said David Smith, councillor for culture, recreation &
tourism at Brighton & Hove City
Council. “The sheer volume and
range of events on offer is set to
eclipse all that has gone before,
making Brighton & Hove the only
place to be in May.”
The Brighton Festival, running
until May 23, includes 175 live
events, including art installations,
premieres, exclusive performances
and free outdoor activities.
Brighton Festival Fringe, running in parallel to the main festival,
claims to be England’s largest open
access arts festival with more than
700 events showcasing the UK’s
finest established and undiscovered acts.
Artists Open Houses runs every
weekend this month and showcases more than 1,000 local artists
who literally open up their front
doors to the general public, exhibiting work from the comfort of their
own home.
The Great Escape Festival runs
from May 13–15 and has 350 new,
local and international artists playing at 30 of the city’s venues.
Superheroes Run, on May 16
aims to set a world record for the
most superheroes in one place at
the same time as 1,000 caped crusaders pit their wits against each
other in a race along the famous
seafront.
The London to Brighton Mini
Run on May 16 is the 25th anniversary of the event and will see
2,500 Minis make the 55-mile pilgrimage from London’s Crystal
Palace Park to Madeira Drive on
Brighton’s seafront.
And out to sea, the Royal
Escape Race on May 28 will be the
largest offshore race on the South
Coast, outside of the Solent.
In this event, a hundred monohull yachts race the 67 miles from
Brighton’s Palace Pier to Fécamp
on France’s Normandy coast.
visitbrighton.com.
PENSHURST Place and Gardens: backdrop to Hollywood dramas.
Walk in the footsteps
of Kentish grandeur
Waddesdon Manor
Nr Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP18 0JH
This National Trust property houses the Rothschild
Collection of superb art treasures. The Victorian garden
is considered one of the finest in Britain with a parterre,
aviary, seasonal displays, fountains and statuary and
with licensed restaurants, shops, and plant centre
Waddesdon makes a memorable day out for everyone.
For more information including opening times,
group rates and events phone 01296 653226
or visit www.waddesdon.org.uk
Waddesdon on the A41 between Bicester & Aylesbury
PENSHURST Place and Gardens is
offering two combination entry
deals for groups this summer, giving linked entry to Penshurst with
Hever Castle and Squerryes Court.
Hever Castle and Penshurst
share a Tudor history that includes
the love story between Henry VIII
and second wife Anne Boleyn.
The In the Footsteps of the
Tudors deal costs £17.50 per person and includes entrance to Penshurst Place and Gardens with a
house or garden tour, followed by
freeflow entrance to Hever Castle
and grounds.
Squerryes Court in Westerham,
Kent, was the Woodhouse’s home
in the recent BBC adaptation of
Jane Austen’s classic Emma, while
Penshurst Place and Gardens has
played many a starring role – from
Hollywood blockbusters to the
Antiques Roadshow. Despite this,
both houses remain loved and
lived-in family homes, and a new
offer this summer allows groups to
visit both estates on the same day.
Available on Wednesdays and
Sundays only, the linked rate is £13
per person for groups of 15 people
or more.
Other developments this summer at Penshurst include a refurbished Garden Tea Room, offering
the new Penshurst Place High Tea,
featuring smoked salmon finger
sandwiches and a glass of house
champagne for £14.95 per person.
In June, the stately home will
celebrate the blooming of its
famous 100-yard peony border
with special events. On June 3,
Buckingham Palace head gardener
Mark Lane will give a talk, while on
June 6, Chelsea gold medal winner
and designer George Carter will be
guest speaker at an RHS Growing
for Success talk.
For more information, you can
call 01892 870307 or go to the
website at penshurstplace.com.
GROUPS visiting Canterbury can
experience life behind-the-scenes
at England’s oldest cathedral.
Some 220 people work on
preparing services, creating music,
restoring the stained glass or conserving unique and rare books and
documents, much as the monks
did many centuries ago.
Special tailor-made packages
can be arranged to visit the stained
glass studio, the cathedral’s priceless archives and rare books library,
view the beautiful church vestments or observe the skills of stone
masons. Cathedral staff will also be
happy to discuss special tours or
lectures on topics such as stained
glass, architecture, heraldry and
monastic buildings.
St Augustine’s Abbey is another rewarding stop for groups. This
great abbey was founded in 597
AD. Today, it is part of the Canterbury World Heritage Site, along
with the cathedral and St Martin’s
Church.
The World Heritage Pass group
ticket gives joint entry to Canterbury Cathedral and St Augustine’s
Abbey. Groups of 11 or more can
get the ticket for £8.30 for adults
and £6.60 for concessions.
01227 762 862 or go to the website at canterbury-canthedral.org.
Quote
‘Travel GBI’
for special
offers
A perfect day out for groups at
two glorious historic houses
Located in Greater London,
only 10 minutes from the M25
Discover the charms of Hall Place and Gardens, a
recently restored Grade I listed mansion built in 1537,
with award-winning gardens and Danson House, a
crystalline Palladian villa completed in 1766 to the
designs of architect Robert Taylor.
Tour both houses with our knowledgeable guides,
and see new displays and exhibitions. Treat yourself in
our delightful tearooms and indulge in our imaginatively
stocked gift shops.
To organise your tailor made visit:
Telephone - 020 8298 6951
Email - [email protected]
29/4/10
16:02
Page 1
www.visitlancashire.com
www.visitcheshire.com
www.golakes.co.uk
S
Free familiarisation visits and
advance bookings can be arranged
directly with the site on 01228
591922.
Another English Heritage property in Cumbria, Birdoswald Fort, is
one of the most visited and important archaeological sites on
Hadrian’s Wall and gives visitors a
real insight into life in this remote
imperial outpost.
Originally home to a thousand
soldiers during the Roman occupation, the site was later occupied by
a succession of people including a
Dark Age chieftan, Border Reivers,
Victorian gentlemen – and archaeologists. Its particularly well-preserved archaeological remains
shed light on two thousand years
of the borders.
Groups can find out about all
aspects of the fort in the visitor
centre, or by taking a themed guided tour.
Free familiarisation visits and
advance bookings can be arranged
directly with the site on 016977
47602.
LIVERPOOL’S newest visitor attraction, the BugWorld Experience, is offering group organiser and coach operator readers of travel GBI a top-up discount on all group bookings
made before July 31.
The attraction already
offers group booking discounts
but, for travel GBI readers,
there is a further 20% discount
on the total price. This introductory offer opens the door to
a great value visit to an attraction that holds the answers to
all things creepy and crawly –
surely a hit with children.
It is the only place in Europe
where visitors can see bugs
● English Heritage is offering discounts of 15% for groups of 11 or
more paying visitors at each of
these sites. For each group, a tour
leader and coach driver are admitted free of charge.
For more information, go to the
website at english-heritage.org.uk/
traveltrade.
welcoming
With fantastic shops, events, countryside and places to eat
- Southport is the ideal place to bring your group this year.
If you’d like to find out
more about Southport,
Call Julia on 01704 395510
Email: [email protected]
Visit: www.visitsouthport.com
such as Death Stalker Scorpions, Giant Centipedes, Assassin bugs and the stunning
Gooty Ornamental Spider.
The BugWorld Experience
offers an adventure through
eight different zones, where
visitors face interactive games
and challenges along the way.
It is packed with facts,
interactive information stations
and games, and for those who
dare, there’s a chance to handle some of the creatures.
To take advantage of the
special travel GBI offer, call
0151 708 4938 and quote travel GBI or e-mail traveltrade@
bugworldexperience.co.uk.
Summer days out include OsFest,
cream teas and glamour of 1920s
HARDINGS Holidays has launched
its new summer days out programme with new trips to the
north west.
The line-up this year includes
Fleetwood Market and Morecombe, a trip that includes a
cream tea and a guided tour of the
refurbished Midland Hotel, where
visitors can experience the glamour of the 1920s.
OsFest, the Shropshire music
and dance festival for well-known
and emerging artists is also new to
the tour operator’s days-out list
this year.
Held at the 37-acre Oswestry
Showground from May 29–31,
Explore Lancs
and take a
Mersey cruise
www.visitmanchester.com
Visit BugWorld for
20% off (if you dare)
Mobility challenges
solved at Carlisle
GROUPS with participants who
have walking difficulties will now
find special provision at Cumbria’s
Carlisle Castle, an English Heritage
site in the north west of England.
From this year, the castle offers
a specially adapted version of the
castle’s guided tour that avoids
areas that people with mobility
issues might find difficult.
The so-called ‘low-level’ tour
still includes Carlisle Castle’s history that covers more than nine centuries at the western end of the
Anglo-Scottish border.
Often the scene of conflict
between the two nations, the castle has been constantly updated
until modern times, having guarded the picturesque city of Carlisle
for over 900 years.
Today, groups can explore its
fascinating and ancient furnished
chambers, stairways and dungeons, which feature the famous
‘licking stones’ where parched
Jacobite prisoners are said to have
found just enough moisture to
stay alive.
www.visitliverpool.com
NEW Shearings breaks in the north
west include Liverpool & Wirral
Peninsula, a four-night holiday
priced from £269 per person.
Based at Liverpool’s Britannia
Adelphi Hotel, the holiday includes
a guided tour of the city, ending
with a Mersey cruise. Holidaymakers also have free time to explore
Liverpool on their own.
This holiday departs on August
2 and September 6.
Also new in the north west
from Shearings this year is Lancashire Delights, another four-night
break priced from £249 per person.
This holiday stays at the Prince
of Wales Hotel, Southport, providing a good base from which to
explore the beauty of Lancashire.
Excursions to the Forest of
Bowland and Clitheroe and a scenic drive along the Fylde Coast to
Lytham St Annes are included in
the price.
This holiday departs on May 31,
July 5 and September 20.
01942 823449 or visit the website
OsFest 2010 boasts more than 40
acts performing on three stages,
from Lemar and Goldie Lookin’
Chain to Twisted Wheel.
Other new trips offered by
Hardings Holidays include the
Legoland Discovery Centre at
Manchester’s Trafford Centre, the
Hot Ice Show in Blackpool,
Southport Flower Show and racing
at Haydock Park, Merseyside.
Sales and marketing manager
Lindsey Harrison said: “Hardings
have been providing day trips for
over 100 years and we’re constantly striving to improve the programme and provide day trips with
a difference for families and young
people as well as our traditional
market. If people are looking for
something a bit different we have
day trips on steam trains and canal
boats, or they can have a flutter on
the horses at Bangor- on- Dee or
Haydock Park.
“But we still have plenty of the
popular trips for shopping, classic
seaside resorts such as Blackpool
and Scarborough and scenic tours
into the Peak District and the
Lakes, along with some annual
favourites such as the Cheshire
Show.”
hardingsholidays.co.uk.
Westmorland
rheged
centre
• Finalist for UK Coach Awards 2010
• FREE entry to centre
• FREE dedicated coach parking
• Group rates and driver incentives
• Disabled access to all areas
• Exclusive private catering available
• Dedicated group co-ordinator
• Ideal location, just off the M6 at J.40
rheged.com • 01768 860014
30/4/10
11:39
Page 15
Britain’s Favourite View
Wastwater, The Lake District
Britain’s number one seaside resort
Blackpool
Britain’s most complete city walls
Chester
The world’s biggest football club
Manchester United
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Liverpool Waterfront
DISCOVER THE
BEST OF BRITAIN
NWDA k4-28
www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com
30/4/10
16:01
Page 1
North West
Coaches run
to Rheged
THE Rheged Centre has been nominated as a finalist in the UK Coach
Awards for Most Coach Friendly
Tourist Attraction.
Located off the M6/A66, the
centre acts as a gateway to the
northern Lake District. Its coachfriendly reputation is enhanced by
dedicated coach parking bays and
driver incentives.
Rheged’s shops sell everything
from books to Cumbrian foods and
local crafts. Three cafes offer different menus, with the recently
refurbished Café Pod representing
the best offer for coach groups.
For more information call
01768 868000 or go to the website at rheged.com.
Ness music
and walks
VISITORS to RSPB Ness Botanic
Gardens in coming weeks will be
able to enjoy music and walks as
part of the gardens’ seasonal programme of events.
This month’s musical recital
will be The Spring Quartet on May
9 from 2pm to 3pm. Up with the
Lark with the RSPB on May 15 is a
guided walk around the gardens
from 7am followed by full English
breakfast. Another guided walk,
Ness Through The Seasons, takes
place on May 25.
0151 353 0123 or go online to
nessgardens.org.uk.
THE Lowry will become a playground for families as the arts
venue celebrates its tenth anniversary with The Regatta Big Family
10th Birthday Party from June 4–6.
Theatre highlights include The
Mermaid Princess from Italy’s
Teatro Kismet and a new adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s
The Little Mermaid. The Australian
clown Wolfe Bowart will enthrall
Party time for decade at The Lowry
young audiences with his gravity
defying attempt to re-light the
moon in LaLaLuna.
Peter and the Wolf is played on
the big screen with live music from
the Manchester Camerata, while
children’s favourite Boogie Pete,
star of the BAFTA award-winning
Theatre Company using movement, puppetry, storytelling and
live music.
The Lowry artistic director
Robert Robson, said: "The Regatta
Big Family 10th Birthday will be one
of the highlights of our anniversary
year. Our outreach programmes
Southport stays coach-friendly
Spectacular Keswick
hosts mountain festival
A BLACK-TIE dinner in Honister
Slate Mine is one of the highlights
of The Keswick Mountain Festival
running this year from May 19–23.
Dine in a Mine on May 21 starts
with a champagne and canapes
reception in Keswick then a ride up
to the legendary mine in the heart
of the Lake District in off road vehicles. Dinner will be in a section of
the mine that has been especially
opened up into a spectacular dining
room with views over the jawdropping beauty of the stunning
Borrowdale valley (pictured above).
Tickets for the dinner-of-a-life-
time event are £125 per person
and the evening will be hosted by
BBC1’s Countryfile presenter and
outdoor evangelist Julia Bradbury.
During the five-day Keswick
Mountain festival, participants are
encouraged to try activities ranging
from ghyll scrambling to mountain
biking and hiking to kayaking. The
Adventure Base will be located on
the shore of Derwentwater, with
themed areas covering bike, climb,
hike, kids, paddle and triathlon.
at keswickmountainfestival.co.uk.
A garden for
all seasons
Ness Botanic Gardens set on the banks of the River
Dee with breathtaking views across to North Wales;
always popular with our visitors are the Rhododendron
and Azalea borders, enchanting Laburnum arch and
spectacular Herbaceous borders.
Join us this year where we will be displaying the famous show
garden entitled Ness Botanische, Cheshire's Gardens of
Distinction - Under the Microscope', which was awarded a Gold
Medal and Best in Show at RHS Tatton Show in July 2009.
Chris Beardshaw, award-winning designer and
TV presenter has created this unique garden
for Ness which will become a key feature at
Ness Botanic Gardens in Summer 2010.
• Visitor Centre with Four Seasons café (licensed) serving homemade
• snacks and meals, a selection of finely blended teas and freshly
• ground coffee
• Gift shop, plant sales and a specialist events programme including
• outdoor theatre
• Bulley tearoom - pre bookable for coach parties with menus to suit
• all tastes and budgets
• Tour guides available by arrangement, special rates for groups of 20+
• FREE refreshments for drivers
• FREE entry for group organisers
• Discounts to operators for multiple visits
• Nearby attractions include Port Sunlight with Lady Lever Gallery,
• Sunlight Vision and Visitor Centre, Chester Cathedral and Cheshire Oaks
•Outlet Village
• Open daily – 10 miles N.W. of Chester off the A540.
www.nessgardens.org.uk
Ness Botanic Gardens, Ness, Neston, Cheshire CH64 4AY
Boogie Beebies, takes to the stage
in Boogie Pete Live.
Slung Low presents Small
Worlds for youngsters aged 12
upwards and A Scarecrow’s Tale of
Fun and Furrows, by award-winning children’s playwright Mike
Kenny, is brought to life by AJTC
and events at The Lowry have
always placed an emphasis on
family activity.”
The Lowry celebrated its 10th
anniversary on April 28, having
spent the last decade engaging
local and national audiences with
visual art and performance.
thelowry.com.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 0151 353 0123
SOUTHPORT, branded as England’s
Classic Resort, is recognised as
one of the most coach friendly destinations in the country and is now
welcoming a record number of
coach visitors.
As well as its reputation for
welcoming groups, the resort’s
events programme is also a big
pull. This month (May) sees the
Food and Drink Festival and the
Southport International Jazz Festival, while in July, it is the turn of
the Summer Classics and in August
the Woodvale International Rally
and Southport Flower Show.
Events continue in September
with the 24-hour yacht race and
the Southport Airshow, the biggest
in the North West, and in October
there is the British Musical
Fireworks Championships and the
Comedy Festival.
Year-on-year, Southport is beating previous coach visitor figures.
In 2009 more than 4,600 vehicles
brought holidaymakers and daytrippers to the resort, boosting the
local economy by around £5.5 million. The number of vehicles has
more than doubled over the last
BOTANIC Gardens at England’s classic resort.
decade and the latest figures show
a 2.7% increase.
Southport’s success in attracting increasing numbers of coaches
follows the introduction of a wide
range of benefits to cater for coach
drivers and passengers.
Tourism officers have just
launched a new Travel Trade Guide
and the resort’s coach hosts have
also just started work for the summer. They will be on hand to meet
coach passengers at dedicated
coach set-down points and to offer
advice on where to go and what to
see during their visit.
Southport is one of ten Confederation of Passenger Transportrecognised coach-friendly destinations. Last year the resort was also
awarded the Most Coach Friendly
Local Authority at the UK Coach
Awards. It also won Town/City of
the Year at the UK Coach Tourism
Awards.
For further information, call
at visitsouthport.com.
29/4/10
16:35
Page 1
Group Shopping
Bath ’70s
eyesores
replaced
Antiques centre docks
into Gloucester Quays
A THREE-STORY antiques centre is
the latest addition to the Gloucester Quays Designer Outlet that has
helped bring new life to the city’s
waterfront area.
Set adjacent to the historic
docks and city centre of Gloucester, the £400 million waterside retail and leisure development was
opened two years ago.
It is now home to top high
street brands and designer labels,
selling to visitors at up to 60% off
the recommended retail price. The
complex boasts a maritime museum, hotel cinema and restaurants.
Group travel organisers bringing parties to the Gloucester Quays
Designer Outlet will get a meet
and greet service, convenient
coach drop-off and parking ar
rangements, complimentary meal
for the driver and an exclusive discount voucher book for everyone in
the party.
01452 338933 or go online to
gloucesterquays.co.uk.
SHOPPING in Bath has been
undergoing a major transformation.
Southgate, a shopping area
once dominated by 1970s
buildings, has been completely
redeveloped and will soon feature a total of 56 shops, all
constructed in a style befitting
Bath’s beautiful Georgian
architecture.
The first phase opened in
2009, and phase two and three
will open in spring and autumn
this year.
Alongside the retail redevelopment, Bath also continues to retain its appeal for boutique and independent shops
with quirky and fashionable
stores that are not found anywhere else.
01225 477229, or go online to
visitbath.co.uk/groups.
Pick up designer goods at big
discounts from McArthurGlen
OPERATING seven retail centres
throughout the UK, McArthurGlen
Designer Outlets represents one of
the best designer shopping opportunities for touring and excursion
groups.
The group styles itself as
Europe’s leading developer, owner
and manager of designer outlet
centres, with 750 brands in 2,000
stores attracting nearly 75 million
people a year.
In the UK, its outlets are located near tourist attractions and historic cities, making it easy for
group travel organisers to incorporate them in itineraries.
The centres are: Cheshire Oaks,
Chester; Ashford, in Kent; Livingston, Glasgow; Swindon; East Mid-
lands, Derbyshire; Bridgend, Wales
and York. They house hundreds of
high street and designer brands,
offering discounts of up to 60%.
All McArthurGlen’s UK Designer Outlets offer concessions and
incentives for coach parties, drivers and tour operators.
mcarthurglen.com.
Bicester Village
EXCEPTIONAL
value is always in
STYLE
Over 130 boutiques
just waiting to be discovered
Alexander McQueen, Anya Hindmarch,
Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Dunhill,
Joseph, La Perla, Matthew Williamson,
Max Mara, Molton Brown, Penhaligon’s
and many more at prices reduced
by up to 60%* all year round
10% VIP SAVING
ON PRODUCTION OF THIS ADVERT
Valid til 30 June 2010
BicesterVillage.com
Mon to Sat 10am – 7pm, Sun 10am – 6pm
+44 (0)1869 323 200 M40 Motorway to Exit 9
Trains from London Marylebone to Bicester North
Discover the collection of Chic Outlet Shopping®
Villages in Europe – ChicOutletShopping.com
LONDON, DUBLIN, PARIS, MADRID, BARCELONA, MILAN,
BRUSSELS/ANTWERP/COLOGNE, FRANKFURT, MUNICH
©Bicester Village 2010
02/10 *the recommended retail price
30/4/10
16:21
Page 1
Retail Parks
Gretna Green village demonstrates
passion for independent shoppers
RATED as Europe’s premier shopping centre, Bluewater attracts 28 million visitors a year.
Bluewater says ‘game on’ with
Sega’s new 4D Motion Theatre
COACH parking facilities, 50 bars
and restaurants, a 13-screen
Showcase Cinema and new Sega
XD Theatre and spa – and all this
under one roof alongside 330 other
stores – make Bluewater Europe’s
leading retail and leisure destination, attracting 28 million visitors a
year to the location on the outskirts
of London.
It is the retail complex that
boasts the only John Lewis Foodhall outside central London, giving
food faddies the chance to pick up
free-range Berkshire pork through
to bagettes and dressed lobster.
Sega Amusements Europe
sees the great success of its XD
Theatre that it operates at Bluewater as a springboard to further
retail opportunities.
Sega installed the 10-seater 4D
Motion Theatre attraction in December last year, just ahead of the
Christmas period.
“We wanted to put an XD
Theatre in the best location we
could find. It had to be a flagship, it
had to be the best – whether it
was UK-based or not, that was the
remit,” said Sega’s Justin Burke.
“The fact that Bluewater, being
Europe’s premier shopping centre
is virtually on our doorstep is just a
bonus.”
The attraction offers the rider
up to 2Gs of acceleration and 100
movements per second.
A library of 3D movies offers a
wide range of choice to give the
best broad public appeal – from
under water adventures to out of
space cosmic roller coaters to the
family favourite Jett and Jinn jet
pack adventure to the newest
Ravine Racer.
For more sedate enjoyment at
Bluewater, Molton Brown treatments are available at the Bluewater day spa.
bluewater.co.uk.
MENTION the words Gretna Green
and images of eloping lovers, galloping into the dead of night, spring
to mind.
Gretna Green is a place that will
always be associated with fuelled
passions, but these days the village
provides an altogether different
type of satisfaction: shopping.
The layout of the centre features quaint cottage-style buildings
surrounding a courtyard and sculpture garden, with retailers including
The Foodhall at Gretna Green,
Tartan Shop, Hampers at Gretna
Green, Blacksmith’s Shop with
Whisky House, Wee Big Shop, Golf
at Gretna Green and Lochcarron of
Scotland at Gretna Green.
The largest of the outlets is the
Tartan Shop, selling knitwear,
bright tartan garments and clan
goods, cashmere goods, Scottish
foods, china and crystal.
The latest shops to open, Lochcarron of Scotland at Gretna Green
and Golf at Gretna Green are already drawing huge interest.
Lochcarron of Scotland, manufactures prestigious woven fabrics,
exclusive knitwear, contemporary
accessories and bespoke highland
most compelling and powerful
stories.
It also claims the title of
‘Scotland’s finest independent collection of merchandise’ with an
unusual display ranging from a souvenir pen to a Braveheart sword or
a full suit of armour.
Located just two minutes from
the M6/A75, Gretna Green is only
10 minutes north of Carlisle, and a
90-minute drive south of Edinburgh
or Glasgow.
01461 337662 or go to the website at gretnagreen.com.
CLAN knitwear and other garments at the Tartan Shop.
Ironbridge looks ahead
to a Victorian Christmas
Experience
live CSI at
the Bullring
THE new and improved JD store at
the Bullring Birmingham is even
bigger and better this year, featuring the latest in sports fashion and
footwear.
Fresh in this season are brands
such as Mckenzie Denim and
Brookhaven for men, and Mckenzie
and Pure Simple Sport for women.
Shoppers will also find exclusive footwear and clothing from
Nike, Adidas, Fred Perry and
Lacoste.
And for those looking for a
break from shopping, the global
sensation that is CSI is now open in
the Bullring.
CSI: The Experience is a handson, interactive experience allowing
visitors’ to take on the role of
crime-solver when confronted with
a crime scene.
Using some of the latest forensic technology visitors are asked to
solve the crime by collecting and
analysing evidence found at the
crime scene.
CSI: The Experience is located
on the Middle West Mall at
Bullring. Admission is £9.75 for
adults and £7 for children (aged
5–17).
Group bookings discounts and
concessions are available.
632 1500 or go to bullring.co.uk.
wear, designed and made in the
Scottish Borders.
The outlet also features Scottish jewellery and other gifts.
Golf at Gretna Green is the
home to clothing and accessories
from Glenmuir, suppliers of shirts
and knitwear to the European
Ryder Cup team, and Pringle of
Scotland.
As Scotland’s largest family
owned and managed visitor attraction and the place that made
Gretna Green famous, the world
famous Blacksmith’s Shop boasts a
history revealing one of Scotland’s
Oswaldtwistle Mills attracts
1,500 groups in one year
BILLED as the second largest free
tourist attraction in the North
West, Oswaldtwistle Mills is a
major destination for group tour
and coach operators.
More than 1,500 groups visited
the shopping village last year,
drawn by the sheer variety of
goods on offer by more than 100
concessions trading in the old mill
complex.
And a series of Super Deals
and Winter Blues Buster offers
launched for January and February
this year have proved so popular,
they are included in the mill’s programme for 2011.
Winter Blues Buster deals will
feature specially priced threecourse meals and live entertainment at weekends throughout
January and February next year,
while Super Deals include free
steam train rides through the Irwell
Valley on selected dates, free
fudge factory demonstrations, free
tours through the Ribble Valley,
free farm visits and discounts on
canal trips.
Oswaldtwistle Mills group
bookings manager Barbara Banks
said: “In five weeks of our Winter
Blues Buster promotion we put
2,500 bums on seats and had more
than 70 groups through.
“The free steam train ride was
also extremely popular with
groups. It’s gone so well that we’re
seeing coach operators putting the
steam train on their regular itineraries.”
With the Winter Blues Buster
promotion going so well, Oswaldtwistle Mills is now offering
Seasonal Savers that include a
three-course meal, live entertainment and mill shopping priced at
£8.95 on Mondays and Fridays up
to October 18 but excluding certain
peak dates.
Group organisers of parties of
30 or more people get a free meal.
“We’re run off our feet with
demand for our Seasonal
Savers,”said Ms Banks. “Now our
new brochure has hit we are inundated with people wanting to
come on these days.”
Oswaldtwistle Mills brought its
last big groups brochure out in
January last year and has now
changed the format so that group
organisers can look forward to
three smaller A5 booklets coming
out through the year, with the first
landing last month.
Ms Banks said the new approach allowed the shopping village much greater flexibility in seasonal and special offers.
“We can’t get everything we
do in the little brochures but people
can go to our website to see the
full extent of what we do and what
we offer.
“The new brochures allow us
to change offers through the year
and make us much more relevant
for seasonal interest,” she added.
9881 550 or go to o-mills.co.uk.
GROUPS of 20 people or more will
be able to take advantage of special rates at Blists Hill Victorian
Town in the Ironbridge Gorge,
Shropshire, during the two weekends before Christmas.
For £6.50 per person, groups
will have the chance to do some
last-minute present shopping while
also witnessing traditional celebrations from the 1800s, experience
the atmosphere of a bygone era
and listen to stories of life more
than 100 years ago.
Blists Hill Victorian Town will be
festooned with Christmas decorations; the shops full of unusual and
interesting gifts and the townsfolk
busy preparing seasonal goodies
and making traditional Victorian
presents.
Traditionally produced cast-iron
paperweights and doorstops,
hand-made plaster decorations,
jams and preserves, striking glassware and hand-thrown pottery, all
produced in the gorge by skilled
craftsmen and women, will be on
the shelves waiting to be picked up
as Christmas gifts.
Other seasonal treats during
a pre-Christmas visit to the Ironbridge Gorge will include carol
singers and bands around the
town, a flurry of snow showers and
the option of visiting Father Christmas for an additional charge.
These special Christmas events
will take place on December 11–12
and 18–19 when Blists Hill is open
from 10am to 4pm.
01952 435900 or go to the website at ironbridge.org.uk.
Go hunting for plants
THE annual spring Plant Hunters’ Fair will take place at The
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
& Glasshouses on May 18.
A wide range of specialist
growers will be present with
many unusual plants including
cottage garden favourites,
herbs, shrubs, alpines and a
stall with terracotta pots.
From 10am to 4pm with
admission for the day costing
£6 for adults and £4 for concessions, visitors can wander
at leisure through the stalls.
Visitors on the day can also
enjoy the tranquillity inside the
glasshouses and outside in the
beautifully landscaped gardens
with aviaries and walkabout
trails.
A highlight is the Japanese
Garden with the National Bonsai Collection in the nearby
courtyard along with the many
themed gardens around the 15acre site.
Other events this month
include the Cactus and Succulent Show on May 23.
bgardens.org.
30/4/10
17:37
Page 1
Group Shopping
Nibbling fish
in Sheffield
could solve
tired feet
A REVOLUTION in pedicare is now
available to weary shoppers at
Sheffield’s Meadowhall Centre.
Appyfeet is a new concept foot
spa with a difference.
It works by using Garra Rufa
fish also known as Doctor Fish, nibble fish or the little dermatologist.
These are toothless carp that
love to nibble the dead hard skin
from hands or feet that are dangled
in to their pool.
This organic pedicure is becoming more popular all over the world
and has now landed in the Lower
Arcade, Meadowhall.
It is said these clever fish can
also stimulate acupuncture points,
helping to regulate the nervous
system, relax the body and release
fatigue while improving blood circulation.
Treatment starts at £10.
For more shopping centre information, call 0114 256 8800 or go
to meadowhall.co.uk.
Heart of England beats strongly
with world-class retail venues
BIRMINGHAM’S Bullring won’t give you the blues.
WHEN it comes to shopping, West
Midlands, billed as the Heart of
England, boasts it has it all.
Birmingham and the Black
Country boast world-class shopping centres, from the iconic Bullring and Mailbox in Birmingham
city centre, to the Merry Hill Centre
in Dudley.
Coventry is positioned as a
great place for bargain buys and
Warwickshire is where visitors will
find a combination of high street
shops and independent retailers in
close proximity to each other.
The area in and around
Stratford-upon-Avon offers a great
setting to shop in and additional
attractions including the world
famous Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre and Shakespeare’s
birthplace.
If local produce is the target,
groups should head for Herefordshire, renowned for its agriculture
and farming heritage and delicious
locally produced food and drink
sold at many farmers markets and
food festivals.
Metrocentre slips on new shoes and opens cinema
TWO brand new shoe stores have
stepped into Metrocentre’s malls,
Gateshead. Designer shoe boutique Kurt Geiger has opened in the
green mall, while high street
favourite Faith is back with a new
store in the red mall.
Exclusive leather store Moda
Show has opened in the red mall
too, offering shoppers unique
leather handbags, jackets and
purses. And L’Occitane, the French
beauty expert, is open on the first
floor in the red mall specialising in
quality body and skincare beauty
products based on natural and
organic essential oils.
Now open in the Village is jewellery shop Pandora, renowned for
its charm bracelets and mix-andmatch jewellery.
Meanwhile, Metrocentre Qube
now boasts a new Odeon cinema,
complete with the only IMAX theatre in the area.
For more information, go online
to the Metrocentre’s website at
metrocentre.uk.com.
Staffordshire is famed worldwide for its ceramics and pottery,
while shopping in Worcestershire
provides a taste of yesterday with
the convenience of modern day
shopping.
For local markets and crafts,
Ironbridge and Shropshire provides
a trip back in time, where visitors
can watch artisans create items for
sale or unearth treasures in the
many antiques shops.
visittheheart.co.uk.
Discover Lego and sky-diving
THE Trafford Centre in Manchester now boasts the UK ‘s
first Legoland Discovery Centre
offering interactive play for
children aged 3–12, while just
opened next door is the new
Airkix facility: UK’s largest indoor sky-diving tunnel.
The Trafford Centre houses
235 stores, 60 restaurants,
bars and cafes, the largest
Odeon cinema in the UK, and
modern leisure facilities such
as Namco bowling and Laser
Quest.
0161 749 1717, or go online to
traffordcentre.co.uk.
Market Place is now a
bright light for shoppers
MARKET Place Shopping Centre
has changed the shape of retail in
Bolton by introducing a new mix of
stores to the town centre.
Shoppers will find more than
50 stores located in the Grade II
listed Victorian building, which is
now transformed into a bright retail
space.
Stores including Zara, H&M,
Warehouse, Oasis and Bank, trade
alongside local independent shops
and join the centre’s established
outlets that include Debenhams,
Next and River Island.
A calendar of free entertainment means there is always something happening in Market Place,
while groups get a boost with a
welcome pack and incentives.
Coach parties are encouraged
at Market Place shopping centre,
with parking available on request.
To find out more, call 01204
361100 or go to the website at
marketplacebolton.co.uk.
30/4/10
15:36
Page 1
expo 2010
Awards at VisitScotland:
the winners in pictures
CRUISE Loch Lomond, Dumfries &
Galloway, Argyll & Highland Incoming and Stirling were the exhibitors
at VisitScotland Expo 2010 that
took the judges’ eyes as they
looked for prize-winning stands.
Peebles golf course to be
transformed into resort
All four stood out in their separate categories and received
awards from VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay and board members Dorothy Fenwick and Russell
Griggs.
CHIEF executive of VisitScotland, Philip Riddle (right), gets ready
to sample a tot of whisky poured by Euan Mitchell, managing
director of Arran Distillery (left) and VisitArran director Alastair
Dobson at VisitScotland Expo 2010.
CRUISE Loch Lomond was judged Most Effective Exhibitor.
Pictured left to right at the prize giving are: Dorothy Fenwick; Iain
Moore, Cruise Loch Lomond; Mike Cantlay; Russell Griggs and
Stuart Cordner, Cruise Loch Lomond.
THE Most Effective for Business award went to Dumfries &
Gallow, pictured here with the prize giving team. From the left
are: Dorothy Renwick; Mike Cantlay; Janet Butterworth,
Whithorn Trust; Susy McMillan, McMillan Hotels; Russell Griggs;
and Pete Corson, 7Stanes.
ARGYLL & Highland Incoming drove off with Most Effective FirstTimer award. Pictured, left to right, are: Mike Cantlay; co-managers of Argyll & Highland Incoming, Archie MacKenzieBaldursson and Eric Campbell-Smith; with Dorothy Fenwick and
Russell Griggs.
Enjoy your Perfect Day
north of the border, says
£2m summer campaign
✮ VISITSCOTLAND has launched
its largest domestic campaign, a
marketing push designed to encourage Scots and visitors south of
the border to holiday in Scotland
this spring and summer.
The £2m Perfect Day campaign,
which runs until the end of August,
generated around £24million for
Scotland last year and reached
more than 36 million people.
This year’s marketing push is
expected to enjoy similar success
with around 250 Scottish businesses working in partnership with the
national tourism organisation to
offer discounted breaks, food and
drink offers and transport deals.
To celebrate the launch of this
year’s Perfect Day campaign, VisitScotland has launched a new
coastal food and drink trail for visitors to follow this summer.
For more information, go online
to visitscotland.com/perfect.
✮ THE Scottish Thistle Awards
2010 were launched at this year’s
Expo, searching for Scottish tourism’s highest achievers.
The awards are widely viewed
as the official mark of excellence
and professionalism, rewarding
achievements within Scotland’s
tourism industry in all areas and at
all levels. The awards are free to
enter and provide a sign to customers that you’re one of the best
in the business.
There are 11 award categories,
designed to span the elements that
help to develop a successful
tourism product and businesses
can enter as many categories as
are applicable.
Closing date for entries is June
30. For more information, go to
scottishthistleawards.co.uk.
✮ SCOTTISH Thistle Award winners from the last three years have
come together to form the Scottish
Thistle Award Winners’ Academy
and will work with VisitScotland to
help inspire excellence and share
good practice in the industry.
As some of the leading lights in
Scottish tourism, they will work
with Scotland’s national tourism
organisation to help raise quality
within the sector for the benefit of
visitors, tourism businesses and
the industry as a whole.
STIRLING scooped the Most Effective personnel award.
VisitScotland’s Mike Cantlay, Russell Griggs and Dorothy Fenwick
are pictured presenting the award to representatives from Stirling
Council, Stirling Old Town Jail and Stirling Castle.
✮ 2009 has proved to be a positive
year for Scotland, with 2.5 million
visitors representing a 2.64% increase in visitor trips. The year also
...calling
saw a 6.71% increase in nights and
a 1.04% increase in spend for domestic and international visitors.
There was a growth of nearly
3% in the number of trips by international visitors and an increase in
spend of nearly 10% to almost £1.4
billion – this set against a global
recession and financial crisis.
Scotland has seen dramatic
growth of nearly 23% in trips from
visitors from the rest of the world
(Australia, New Zealand along with
emerging Asia / South America) as
well as strong growth from Spain,
France and the Netherlands.
Homecoming was definitely a
draw for overseas visitors and
VisitScotland’s targeted marketing
is convincing people from home
and abroad that Scotland is a mustvisit destination and good value
for money.
THE Macdonald Cardrona Hotel &
Golf Course in Peebles has unveiled
extensive redevelopment plans
that will see it transformed into a
full-scale holiday resort.
About £5 million will be invested in the existing hotel alone, to
create an additional 50 bedrooms,
a new conference suite, meeting
rooms and a new restaurant to
complement its current AA rosette
awarded Renwicks restaurant.
The Macdonald Cardrona Hotel
& Golf Course will also extend its
existing leisure and spa facilities to
feature tennis courts, an equestrian
centre, children’s play area as well
as holiday homes and vacation
ownership properties.
The announcement follows a
year of repositioning for the hotel,
which saw a 84% increase in profit
between 2008 and 2009.
Managing director James
Lerche said: “The strategies that
we implemented at the hotel last
year, in terms of creating a great
leisure location, proved really successful and we were able to significantly grow these areas of the
business in a short space of time.
“This success, coupled with
the advantage that we have in our
stunning and popular location,
naturally makes way for further
developments at the hotel and presents a fantastic opportunity to
attract a greater number of people
– both leisure and business – to
the area.”
The resort is set to become one
of the Macdonald Hotels & Resorts’
flagship properties.
macdonaldHotels.co.uk.
News in brief -- News in brief
SHAKESPEARE AND MILITARY MUSIC AT BLENHEIM
✮ SPECIAL spring and summer events at Blenheim Palace include the
Oxford School of Drama's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream
and The Comedy of Errors.
These classic Shakespearean dramas are set in the surroundings of
the Palace's Pleasure Gardens on June 9–12 and 14–19. The plays will
be performed on alternate days.
On July 17, the ever-popular Battle Proms stakes its claim as the
ultimate summer event.
Offering something for everyone the proms are held in a stunning
setting, feature rousing classical favourites, a spitfire fly-over, cavalry
and infantrymen, and thunderous cannons and fireworks.
Information: 01993 81109 or blenheimpalace.com.
GET INSIDE DNA WITH MAGNA SCIENCE
✮ EVENTS at Rotherham's Magna Science Adventure Centre include
the Inside DNA exhibition, running until October 17.
This exhibition investigates developments in the field of human
genomics and the ethical issues they raise.
On May 16, Magna takes part in the national Museums at Night
movement offering visitors the chance to delve into the history of the
vast former steelworks and see areas not usually open to the public.
Blues/rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa plays Magna on May 29.
Information: 01709 720002 or visitmagna.co.uk.
HALFORDS TOUR RIDES TO PORTSMOUTH
✮ TOP-LEVEL cycle racing is coming to Portsmouth in the form of The
Halfords Tour Series, a nationwide series of city circuit races.
The event is on June 1, and there will be fun cycle-themed events
for residents and visitors before the race starts at 7pm.
Information: 023 9282 6722 or visitportsmouth.co.uk.
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA IS HOME FOR LATEST PARK INN
✮ THE Rezidor Hotel Group has opened its 90th Park Inn hotel – and
the 26th Park Inn in the UK – the 137-room Park Inn Palace at
Southend-on-Sea, Essex.
Located on the Western Esplanade on the seafront of the resort
town in Essex, the new Park Inn Palace Hotel is housed within an
impressive conversion of the much-loved Palace building.
The hotel is in the heart of the tourist area overlooking the Thames
Estuary and the world's longest pier.
Information: rezidor.com.
✮ GLASGOW will once again
become the world’s stage for international piping as Piping Live! The
Glasgow International Piping Festival and the World Pipe Band
Championships return to the city
from August 9–15.
Set to attract almost 30,000
fans, the festival will showcase
more than two dozen different
nationalities and a variety of piping
styles, from traditional Piobaireachd to modern folk combos.
The festival week will culminate with the spectacle of more
than 8,000 pipers from around the
globe battling it out to be named
Champions at The World Pipe Band
Championships.
For information, go to the website at seeglasgow.com/piping.
PREVIEW ATTRACTIONS USING GOOGLE STREET VIEW
✮ GOOGLE is working with Merlin Entertainments to launch the first
Street View imagery of some of the UK's favourite attractions.
Street level imagery of Alton Towers Resort, Chessington World of
Adventures, Legoland, Windsor, Thorpe Park and Sea Life in Weymouth can now be explored from personal computers.
Users can familiarise themselves with the layout of each of the
individual attractions online before they leave home and decide which
locations to make a priority in order to get the best out of their day.
Information: merlinentertainments.biz.
FOOD-TASTING BREAK IS EASY TO SWALLOW
✮ WEEKEND breaks to Belfast just got a lot more delectable with the
launch of a six-course tasting menu at The Culloden Estate and Spa.
Available exclusively at the hotel's Mitre Restaurant on Saturday
nights, the new tasting menu incorporates the finest, locally sourced
ingredients and each course is accompanied by a specially selected
wine chosen by the resident Sommelier.
Highlights of the spring menu include Seared Irish Sea Scallop and
Wild Wicklow Venison from the Wicklow Hills.
The full tasting menu of six courses each with a paired glass of
wine, coffee and petit fours costs £80 per person for non-residents.
Information: 028 9042 1066 or hastingshotels.com.
30/4/10
18:20
Page 1
THEATRELAND
Gielgud invites West End
to let down its HAIR–again
GAVIN Creel as Claude with the cast of the Broadway revival of HAIR.
(Picture: Joan Marcus)
Unique play
by Bergman
(Picture: Tristram Kenton)
Pulitzer winner now
booking through June
LYNN Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize winning Ruined opened at the Almeida
Theatre last month and is now
booking until June 5.
The complete cast comprises
Jenny Jules (Mama), Lucian Msamati (Christian), Damola Adelaja
(Simon), David Ajala (Fortune),
Michelle Asante (Salima), Silas
Carson (Mr Harari), Kehinde Fadipe
(Josephine), Joel Kangudi (Soldier/
Laurent), Okezie Morro (Jerome
Kisembe), Pippa Bennett-Warner
(Sophie) and Steve Toussaint
(Commander Osembenga).
Ruined is set in a small mining
town deep in the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
In Mama Nadi’s bar, her rules
apply – no arguments, no politics,
no guns. But when two new girls
turn up at the bar, both tainted with
the stigma of their recent past,
Mama Nadi is forced to reassess
the balance between her business
priorities and personal loyalties.
As tales of local atrocities
spread and tensions between
rebels and government militia rise,
the realities of life in civil war
provide the ultimate test of the
human spirit.
7359 4404 or go to almeida.co.uk.
PIPPA Bennett-Warner playing
Sophie. (Picture: Tristram Kenton)
MICHAEL Attenborough will direct
Dimitri Leonidas, Ian McElhinney,
Justin Salinger and Ruth Wilson in
the world premiere of a new stage
adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s
Through A Glass Darkly.
The production opens at the
Almeida Theatre on June 10 and is
booking until July 31.
Written and directed by Ingmar
Bergman, Through A Glass Darkly
was Sweden’s contribution to the
Venice Biennale in 1962 and in the
same year it won the Oscar for
best Foreign Language Film.
Through A Glass Darkly is the
only Bergman film for which he
gave permission for a stage adaptation.
7359 4404 or go to almeida.co.uk.
Glee star in
Deathtrap
SIMON Russell Beale will star in a
new production of the Ira Levin
thriller Deathtrap, opening in London at the Noël Coward Theatre on
September 7.
Anna Massey returns to the
West End stage after a 12-year
absence to co-star opposite Simon
Russell Beale, and Deathtrap will
introduce Glee television star
Jonathan Groff to both to the West
End stage.
This will be the first London
revival of Deathtrap since its original production in 1978 when the
play opened to rave reviews, subsequently running for two and a
half years at the Garrick Theatre.
482 5140.
Lafayette Street and also has the
distinction of being the first ever
off-Broadway show to transfer to
Broadway itself.
The musical moved on to
Broadway in April 1968, running for
1,873 performances.
Here in the UK, the goundbreaking production first opened at
London’s Shaftsbury Theatre in
1968, causing a sensation as the
first musical to open after the abolition of the Lord Chamberlain’s role
as theatre censor.
hairthemusical.co.uk
Fantastic offers from
Db Promotions UK
DAVID Essex had all the fun of the
fair when he called in to the Encore
Tickets head office to fly the flag for
his new musical, and first in line for
a signed poster was Encore managing director John Wales.
All The Fun of the Fair has now
premiered at The Garrick Theatre
complete with its helter skelter of
David Essex hits. Encore has rates
from £35 for groups of eight people
or more, and offers a pre-theatre
meal add-on at The Hampshire Bar
& Restaurant from £14.50. For
more information, call 0207 432
2330 or go to encoretickets.co.uk.
65 of Disney’s unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in
Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic! Join the one and only Mickey Mouse,
the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio, and
all the Disney Princesses in a skating spectacular you’ll remember forever.
Barton back
on boards
EMMA Barton, best-known as
Honey Mitchell in EastEnders, has
returned to the London boards for a
12-week run from April 26 starring
as Roxie Hart in the West End production of Chicago at the
Cambridge Theatre.
She previously gave her Roxie
Hart to rave reviews in the provincial capitals of the UK during the
show's 2009/10 tour.
chicagothemusical.co.uk..
Packed horse
THE National Theatre's award-winning production of War Horse has
released new tickets, taking bookings at the New London Theatre up
to October 22 next year.
War Horse, Nick Stafford's
adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's
book, has been playing to packed
houses at the New London Theatre
where it continues to thrill audiences following a transfer from the
National Theatre to the West End in
March 2009.
warhorselondon.com.
Disney characters and artwork © Disney. Disney/Pixar characters © Disney/Pixar.
into its sixth year in London.
Twelve-year-old Aaron Watson
from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, will also
join the company to become the
twenty third young boy to play the
title role in the West End.
billyelliotthemusical.com.
IN Mama Nadi’s bar, her rules apply – no politics, no guns.
include Aquarius, Good Morning
Starshine, Let the Sun Shine In and,
of course, the title number.
This critically acclaimed new
production of the classic 1967
musical had its run extended three
times while playing at the
Delacorte Theater in Central Park in
the summer of 2008.
It was then transferred to the
Al Hirschfield Theater on Broadway
where it continues to play to
packed houses and recently celebrated its first birthday.
In 1967, HAIR was the show
that officially opened the Public
Theater’s long-time home on
Essex appeal
Lemon joins Watson at
Victoria Palace for Billy
GENEVIEVE Lemon will join the
London cast of the multi-award
winning Billy Elliot the Musical at
the Victoria Palace Theatre to play
Billy’s dance teacher from May 31.
Lemon, a seasoned musicals
performer in her native Australia,
will make her West End debut as
Mrs Wilkinson as the show enters
HAIR is back in London’s West End
thanks to a collaboration between
New York’s Public Theater and
Cameron Mackintosh.
Playing at the Gielgud Theatre,
the new production of the counterculture classic musical stars Sasha
Allen as Dionne, Allison Case as
Crissy, Luther Creek as Woof, Gavin
Creel as Claude, Cassie Levy as
Sheila, Darius Nichols as Hud,
Kacie Sheik as Jeanie and Will
Swenson as Berger.
A celebration of life, a love letter to freedom, and a passionate
cry for hope and change, HAIR features a rack of evergreen hits that
UK TOUR 2010
Braehead Arena, Glasgow 10th – 19th September
Trent FM Arena Nottingham 1st – 3rd October
Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle 5th – 10th October
M.E.N Arena, Manchester 13th – 17th October
The O2 Arena, London 20th – 31st October
The NIA, Birmingham 3rd – 14th November
Group discounts available. Buy 15 tickets and get 1 FREE*
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
To book call Db Promotions UK on
0121 308 4511
For more information visit www.dbpromotions.co.uk
*In selected cities only.
The high octane MONSTER JAM is a stunning family show consisting of the coolest
monster trucks and freestyle motocross with some of the world’s best drivers, sickest
tricks and craziest stunts. MONSTER JAM is one of the biggest entertainment events in
the US, running around 330 shows and selling 3 million tickets annually.
UK TOUR 2010
The NIA, Birmingham 17th – 19th September
M.E.N Arena, Manchester 18th – 19th September
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 9th October
Monster group discounts available for 10+ people
Pre-show Pit Party passes also available, with the
chance to meet the drivers and see the trucks close up
Call Db Promotions UK on
0121 308 4511
For more information visit www.dbpromotions.co.uk
29/4/10
16:18
Page 1
THEATRELAND
All-American cast will
bring mini-plays to UK
THE Tricycle Theatre will present the British premiere of
The Guthrie Theater/Berkeley
Repertory Theater production
of Tiny Kushner, a collection
of five one-act plays written
by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Tony Kushner.
Tiny Kushner will preview
from September 1 and runs
until September 25.
The all American cast are
J.C. Cutler, Kate Eifrig, Jim
Lichtscheidl and Valeri Mudek.
Tiny Kushner comprises:
Flip Flop Fly!; Terminating or
Sonnet LXXV or "Lass Meine
Schmerzen Nicht Verloren
Sein" or Ambivalence; East
Coast Ode to Howard Jarvis:
a little teleplay in tiny monologues; Dr. Arnold A.
Hutschnecker in Paradise;
and Only We Who Guard The
Mystery Shall Be Unhappy.
020 7328 1000or go to the
website at tricycle.co.uk.
HAROLD Prince and Susan Stroman will direct an all-American
cast in the world premiere of
Paradise Found at the Menier
Chocolate Factory.
Based on the novel The Tale of
the 1002nd Night by Viennese
author Joseph Roth, Paradise
Found previews from May 19.
The cast is George Lee
Andrews, Kate Baldwin, Shuler
Hensley, Judy Kaye, Lacey Kohl,
Herndon Lackey, Pamela Winslow
Kashani, Amanda Kloots-Larsen,
Daniel Marcus, John McMartin,
Nancy Opel, Mandy Patinkin, Jim
Poulos and Martin van Treuren.
Paradise Found follows the
exploits of the Shah of Persia who
finds himself feeling rather low, so
to lift his spirits he decides to set
off to Vienna in Austria (with his
FOR the first time, the reconstructed Globe Theatre will stage
Shakespeare’s most sumptuous
and spectacular play, Henry VIII, on
May 15.
Dominic Rowan will play the
iconic Tudor King after his recent
performance in the west-end production of The Misanthrope, and
his celebrated performance as
Touchstone in the Globe’s 2009
production of As You Like It.
Miranda Raison, who stars in
the BBC’s award winning drama
Spooks, will play Henry’s notorious
second wife Ann Bullen (Anne
Boleyn), while Anthony Howell,
who is best known as Paul Milner
Paradise lost and found in Vienna
as Persian Shah travels abroad
eunuch in tow) in search of some
new adventures.
There, he falls in love with the
Empress of the Empire, much to
the dismay of her husband, so a
resident of the local brothel – who
happens to be a double for the
Empress – is substituted for a
night of passion.
But she’s in love with a baron,
who’s having an affair with the
soap manufacturer’s wife – it gets
complicated.
menierchocolatefactory.com.
NANCY Opel, Hal Prince, Mandy Patinkin, Susan Stroman and
Judy Kaye in rehearsal for Paradise Found.
(Picture: Chris Owyoung)
Henry VIII chases Ann
Bullen across Globe
in ITV’s popular crime drama
Foyle’s War, will play the Duke of
Buckingham.
Other casting includes National
Theatre regular Kate Duchíne playing Katherine of Aragon and Clive
Wood as Cardinal Wolsey.
Shakespeare’s Henry VIII was
famous in its own day as a visual
pageant of masques and royal ceremony, and was responsible for
burning down the original Globe
during a performance on June 29
1613. The play centres on the
young, married and charismatic
Henry who will stop at nothing to
make Ann Bullen his mistress.
Displaying great psychological
and political insight, the play examines a Tudor Court locked in an
epic power struggle and this production is an opportunity to see a
mature work of Shakespeare all too
rarely performed.
TICKETS
FROM JUST
TICKETS
FROM JUST
£29.50
0844 412 4650
[email protected]
FOR GROUPS THAT ARE GOING PLACES
TICKETS
FROM JUST
£23.25
Shakespeare’s Globe’s ‘Kings
and Rogues’ theatre season also
includes Shakespeare’s Macbeth,
Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 and The
Merry Wives of Windsor.
Additionally, the Globe will present two new plays: Anne Boleyn
by Howard Brenton and Bedlam by
Nell Leyshon.
As well as its main stage programme, the Globe’s two regional
small-scale tours from 2009 return
to exchange venue circuits: The
Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
7401 9919 or go the website at
shakespeares-globe.org.
£29.50
TICKETS
FROM JUST
£22.50
29/4/10
16:18
Page 2
THEATRELAND
Inflatable theatre turns
Gardens Upsy Daisy
A STAGE production of the children’s television hit, In The
Night Garden, is going on tour
with its stars Igglepiggle, Upsy
Daisy, Makka Pakka and
friends.
Visually stunning, In The
Night Garden Live is created in
an inflatable, purpose-built
touring theatre made up of two
show domes which faithfully
recreates the magical world of
the hugely popular children’s
television show produced by
Ragdoll Productions.
The all-weather domes will
take up temporary residence in
four city locations, starting in
Liverpool at Sefton Park from
July 17 to August 1.
Other venues are: Meridian
Gardens at The O2, Peninsula
Square, London, from August
14–30; Glasgow Green from
September 11–26; and Cannon
Hill Park, Birmingham, from
October 9–24.
visit nightgardenlive.com.
Jack turns up trumps as
new Joseph
ARTIST’S impression of In The Night Garden’s all-weather domes.
WHEN producer/director Bill Kenwright brings his production of Tim
Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to theatres across
Britain, audiences will recognise
the young man in the leading role.
Keith Jack was one of the most
popular finalists in the hit BBC
series Any Dream Will Do. The
show was set up to find a leading
man for Andrew Lloyd Webber's
new West End production, and
Keith charmed audiences each
week with his vocal talents, finally
coming in a close second.
He previously played the Narrator in the UK tour of Joseph and
now returns in the lead role.
josephthemusical.com.
Seen by over
11 MILLION PEOPLE
in
17 COUNTRIES
OVER 3000 PERFORMANCES IN THE UK...
AND OVER 3000 STANDING OVATIONS
GROUPS OF 12+ £27.50
(Monday-Friday Evenings, Wednesday matinee)
0844 844 2121
Booking and transaction fees apply
www.wewillrockyou.co.uk
West End star joins cast
of ABBA box office hit
HARRIET Thorpe will take over the
role of Tanya in the smash-hit musical MAMMA MIA! on June 14.
Best-known for her television
roles in the BBC’s Brittas Empire
and Absolutely Fabulous, Harriet’s
West End credits include Madame
Morrible in Wicked, Fraulein Kost in
Cabaret and Madame Thénardier in
Les Misérables.
Linzi Hateley and Jessie May
continue in their roles as mother
and daughter Donna and Sophie
RSC sings Dahl’s Matilda
BOOKINGS have opened for the
world premiere of the Royal
Shakespeare Company’s new
musical version of Roald Dahl’s
Matilda – the story about a little
girl with extraordinary powers.
Matilda, A Musical previews in
the RSC’s Courtyard Theatre in
Stratford-upon-Avon from November 9 and plays for a straight 12week run until January 30 2011.
It will be directed by the Tony
Award-winning Matthew Warchus,
who commented: “What a delight
and a privilege to be working on
Sheridan. In certain performances,
the role of Donna will be played by
Sara Poyzer or Melissa Jacques.
The musical, based on the
songs of ABBA, celebrated its 11th
London birthday in April and continues to break box office records at
the Prince of Wales Theatre.
MAMMA MIA! is now booking
until 26 March 2011.
mamma-mia.com.
TICKETS
FROM JUST
TICKETS
FROM JUST
£19.50
0844 412 4650
[email protected]
FOR GROUPS THAT ARE GOING PLACES
TICKETS
FROM JUST
£29.50
this gem of a story: a tiny little girl
genius pitted against the meanest,
nastiest adults and triumphing
against the odds. A miracle fable
full of mischief, music and magic –
it’s a directing joy.”
The RSC is working to gather a
cast of talented youngsters and
professional actors. Matilda and
her classmates will be played by
children, and the rest of the cast
will be played by adults.
01789 403444 or go to the website at rsc.org.uk.
£25.00
TICKETS
FROM JUST
£29.50
30/4/10
16:46
Page 1
News
Henry’s
old ‘tipple’
Bourne Leisure links
to booking engines
HISTORIC Royal Palaces has
recreated a taste of the Tudor
high life with the installation
of a wine fountain in a courtyard at Hampton Court Palace.
The four-metre-high fountain (right) is a copy of the one
that Henry VIII built to impress
the King of France in 1520.
The new fountain will flow
with red and white wine and
groups will be encouraged to
join in the celebrations and
buy a glass of wine between
4.30pm and 5.30pm each day
throughout the summer.
020 3166 6311 or go to the
website at hrp.org.uk.
FOLLOWING a 15% increase in visitors to its dedicated travel agent
website and a 38% increase in
online bookings, Bourne Leisure
has launched a re-designed website to help agents keep up to date
with latest news and make bookings for its three brands.
The newly designed website
links directly to the booking
engines so agents can book Butlins, Haven and Warner Leisure
Hotels online with ease seven days
a week, 24 hours a day.
Warner Leisure Hotels’ new
booking engine also offers agents a
quicker process and greater detail
on the accommodation grades and
experiences available for guests.
Dunkirk hunt
for veterans
Norfolk’s
Premier Resort
ThF UK’s FErst Five Star Holiday Village has HoG bFFH aGardFd
Best Large Hotel 2009
enjoyEngland.com
HOLIDAY VILLAGE
Set in 65 acres stretching down to the sea where
Norfolk meets Suffolk, Potters Leisure Resort
now has even more reason to be the ideal place for
your Group or Club’s Short Break.
The site features new sections
on each of the brands including Big
Weekends so agents can increase
their knowledge on accommodation, facilities and entertainment at
the resorts, parks and hotels.
To further product knowledge,
agents can also request day passes and be the first to hear about
educational offers. Window offers
are updated weekly, and can be
searched for by region, brand,
resort, park or hotel.
There is a dedicated marketing
support section where agents can
download the latest leaflets,
posters and blank window cards.
winneR
2009 Best
Large Hotel of
the Year
touriEm in
NorCoHk awGrdE
ENGLISH Heritage has
launched a nationwide search
for veterans and those who
played a part in the Dunkirk
evacuation, masterminded
from tunnels hidden below
Dover Castle.
A video recording booth
opens at the tunnel complex
on May 28 to start a week of
events and activities marking
the anniversary of the
evacuation.
For more information,
call 0870 333 1181 or go to
english-heritage.org.uk.
JUNE 2007
NO. 344
$!!"# !&""('#
'##%$
ISSN: 1355-462X
Executive Editor:
Richard Cawthorne
Editor:
Mike Swindell
Advertising Sales:
Jay Ormerod
Publisher:
Bob MacBeth-Seath
Associate Publisher:
Gary Kaye
Pre-paid subscription
rates per annum:
UK, £37; Europe, £44;
Rest of World, £50.
Tel: 020-7729 4337
[email protected]
www.travelgbi.com
!"#
!"#
SLASHING THE TIME FROM GALWAY TO CORK
✮ MANX2.COM is set to stimulate commerce and tourism in Ireland
as it launches 14 flights a week between Galway and Cork from 2 July.
The flights are set to reduce travel time between the West of Ireland
and Cork and Kerry from three hours by road to 40 minutes by air.
For more information, log on to manx2.com.
RAIL JOURNEY THROUGH NATURAL BEAUTY
✮ THE Welsh Highland Railway is to open the penultimate section of
its 25-mile route on May 27. An additional three miles of track from the
present terminus at the end of the Aberglaslyn Pass will take passengers out across the wide flatlands reclaimed from the sea in 1811.
For more information, call 01766 516000 or go to festrail.co.uk
has
‘‘beenPotters
awarded
Excellent Group
Benefits
We hGve G rGnge oC exceHHenD
group benefiDE GvGiHGbHe Eo
pHeGEe cGHH our dedicGDed
DeGm Do diEcuEE your group’E
requiremenDE. IC you hGve
never been Do PoDDerE Gnd
wouHd Hike G CGmiHiGriEGDion
viEiD, cGHH uE Gnd we wiHH be
hGppy Do orgGniEe G DGEDer
BreGk Cor you.
Five Star
HolidayVillage
status from
‘enjoyEngland’
for 7 consecutive
years
’’
0845 683 8695
fINalIst
2008 Best
Accommodation
for Groups
WINNER
2007 Best All
Inclusive Group
Holiday Venue
At Potters, we go that extra mile to give you the best value inclusive Break we can.
Whether Weekends, Midweeks or One Night Specials, all our Breaks include;
comfortable accommodation, 4 meals a day (new for 2010 – a midnight dish to celebrate
our 90th anniversary!),
excellent entertainment
every evening in our
Atlas Theatre (which
rivals any in the West
End). Plus a host of
daytime sports and
activities, from swimming pools to archery. All this for
an exceptionally good value price.
Bowling at Potters
For all enquiries, to
book or to order our free
brochure call:
fINalIst
2009 Best All
Inclusive Group
Holiday Venue
Inclusive Breaks
WINNER
The 2006
Group Travel
Awards
Potters Leisure Resort hosts Midweek
‘Bowling & Leisure’ Breaks from
September to mid May every year (excluding
school holidays).
Each midweek
Break can be enjoyed by over
500 bowlers in our free-toenter tournament. Our fantastic
bowling facilities include 14
indoor and 7 outdoor rinks.
4-night Breaks from £214. To
book, order our free brochure
or for further information,
please call 0845 683 8695.
VEsEt our GFbsEtF: www.pottersholidays.com Potters Leisure Resort Coast Road Hopton-on-Sea Norfolk NR31 9BX
Calls arF chargFd at BT StaHdard Lo-Call RatF. ChargFs may vary dFpFHdEHg oH sFrvEcF provEdFr aHd arF lEkFly to bF at a hEghFr ratF from a mobElF.
very
‘‘The
best in
performers and
entertainment
in the state of
the art Atlas
theatre
’’
ERUPTING VOLCANO OFFERED LITTLE TO HOTELIERS
✮ THE effect of the volcanic ash cloud has put a dampener on the
recovery path that UK hoteliers set out in January, according to PKF
accountants and business advisers. Airport hotels found that after an
initial boost in bookings, many travellers decided either to find their
own way home or find other, cheaper means of accommodation.
For more information, log on to pkf.com.
DINE OUT AND WATCH A PLAY WITH APPLAUSE
✮ A PACKAGE featuring a top-price seat to see West End hit Blood
Brothers plus a meal at Hard Rock Café is available from Applause from
just £33.50 per person for groups of 20 or more people.
For information: 0844 209 1799 or email [email protected].
DOCKLANDS MUSEUM DROPS ITS ENTRANCE FEE
✮ THE Museum of London Docklands is now free to all, opening up a
wealth of galleries and events to local residents and tourists.
For more information, call 0207 001 9844 or go to the website at
museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands.
HARD ROCKING QUIZ WITH MUSICAL PRIZES
✮ HARD Rock Cafe is to host its first Rock Quiz on May 20. Prizes on
offer include tickets for one of the nights at Hard Rock Calling – the
London Music festival taking place in Hyde Park from June 25–27.
Tickets for the Rock Quizz cost £20 per person.
For more information, call 0207 514 1700 or go to hardrock.com.
CAMPAIGN PUTS FESTIVAL FOCUS ON SUFFOLK
✮ CHOOSE Suffolk has joined forces with arts and heritage organisations to launch Festivals Suffolk, a national campaign to “position
Suffolk as the festival capital of the UK”.
The campaign promotes a wide range of festivals in the country.
For more information, go to festivalsuffolk.com.
Travel GBI is published by Travelscope Publications, 3rd Floor, Foundation House, Perseverance Works, 38 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DD. Tel: 020 7729 4337.
Colour Origination by ITM Publishing Services, London EC1. Printed by Precision Colour Printing, Telford, Shropshire.

News - Online Brochures

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