Should everyone be able to find ‘Secret Britain’?

Are you among those who caught the latest BBC television series Secret Britain, which has attracted rave reviews? Personally, as a tourism industry insider, I found the first episode of the series all rather frustrating, although I admit that the landscapes were visually stunning. It’s hardly surprising that’s the case, such is the astonishing variety of scenery to be found when travelling in the British Isles.

In the first of four one hour long episodes of ‘Secret Britain’, presenters Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury presented fairly vague information showcasing various ’secret’ sites in southern England, from Cornwall to Kent, a region of Britain I know well. What I found particularly frustrating was that the sites given so much high profile airtime were nearly all either inaccessible or pratically impossible for the ordinary viewer, or potential visitor inspired by a programme such as this, to visit; but perhaps that was the point. They wanted to ensure they were kept secret.

Secret locations revealed

The presenters understandably admitted that locations shown where frangrant orchids and fly orchids were seen growing somewhere on the South Downs, could not be identified for security reasons. Unfortunately the fact that the South Downs was recently declared a National Park, and that that there are plenty of practically unknown places within it where visitors are welcomed, yet relatively few venture, was not even mentioned. For example, within the Park in deepest West Sussex, you can still walk up the old Roman Road, Stane Steet, and visit well preserved Roman mosaics at relatively unknown (because it’s privately owned) Bignor Roman villa, or explore the wonderful Weald and Downland Museum at Singleton, near Chichester. Not far away, on the shores of Chichester Harbour you can visit the ancient Saxon Church of Bosham, which was illustrated on the Bayeux Tapestry. That’s just a little sample of some of the secret (or at least little known beyond the local area) places to visit in Southern England that deserve and would appreciate more attention, yet don’t get it.

Surely it would make sense for a series such as this to include more locations like the ones I’ve suggested, and to give some indication of their location so that people can get there?  The programme spent a long time rambling about on the Greenways of Dorset, without identifying a single village along the route of Hell Lane, denying the interested viewer, or walking enthusiast, any hope of finding it. Likewise, Matt Baker was filmed in in a seagoing kayak visiting inaccessible caves and beaches, as well as shooting the dangerous looking passage between the mainland and Seven Souls Rock on  Pentire Head near Padstow, experiences that the casual visitor to north Cornwall probably has little chance of duplicating in safety without the accompaniment of people with local kayaking expertise.

I found myself wondering if the programme makers been forced to sign a confidentiality agreement with the couple who took the camera crew to a rocky valley near Tintagel, where they had celebrated a picnic after their wedding? It certainly seemed possible, so scanty was the information divulged about its location.

Frustration mounted further as it soon became obvious that visiting Iron Age hill forts on Ministry of Defence land on Salisbury Plain, surrounded all the while by danger signs warning of unexploded ordnance, and tank manoevres, was equally unlikelyto be accessible to the general public.  Perhaps that too was trying to score a point about keeping the locations secret?

However, it wasn’t the case, as Charleston Farmhouse, near Lewes in East Sussex, once home to Virginia Woolf and The Bloomsbury set, was also featured. It’s a site you can quickly locate by Googling. As were the well known honeypots of Tintagel Castle and Mevagissey in Cornwall. Footage of Dungeness might have  inspired more visitors too. You can also find information about what to see, and how to get there, fairly easily online. I felt that, in general, the programme makers could have found some unappreciated locations with interesting stories attached that were far more deserving of their attention, such as the Royal Military Canal on Romney Marsh, shown above, where you can go for long walks in a landscape with fascinating history and wildlife.  Here there is plenty of capacity for more visitors to venture. I could go on.

For the benefit of any truly inquisitive programme makers out there, I’d like to give you a pointer about just one out of many places I know about in my own area, which deserve to be more widely known.  Cobham Hall is an Elizabethan mansion near Gravesend in Kent, which now operates as an independent girls school. My jaw dropped when I saw the exquisite interiors on a recent visit, including original hand painted antique Chinese wallpaper in a staggeringly well preserved state in one room (it turns out to have been so well stuck on that it has proved impossible to strip it off to sell).

Visitors, a few of whom manage to find their way all the way from the Antipodes, are also regaled with the romantic story of the origins of  the sport of English cricket’s ‘Ashes’. The original urn that is fought over as a trophy for the winners of the bi-annual series of test matches between England and Australia, may now be kept at Lords Cricket Ground in London; but Cobham Hall was its original home. So, if you want to know the full story, and most especially if you have Australian connections, you really should try and visit. Details of opening dates.

What chance for the promotion of Secret Britain?

Annoyingly, last week’s speech by Prime Minister David Cameron on the subject of tourism in Britain received practically no media coverage. It was drowned out by threat of strike action at Heathrow  over the bank holiday weekend (now called off). It’s not at all amusing that negative stories always seem to manage to crowd out good news during the media’s annual August ’silly season’. Unfortunately they often do!

Significantly it looks like the Coalition Government is planning to try and give the industry more priority, with a white paper and launch of a new national tourism strategy. It still seems doubtful in view of the comprehensive spending review, whether this will actually lead to more funding for the industry, and offer scope for launching PR or marketing initiatives to promote lesser known but deserving attractions, including more like those I’ve highlighted. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see details of the new strategy and white paper. There could be a lot of interest in secret Britain in the run up to 2012; but I fear that the scarcity of investment to fund its marketing could yet keep a lot of it under wraps.

I think it’s already a good sign though, that Tourism South East have today taken the decision to delay their AGM and conference until November, citing that  ‘this will enable us to deliver a more informed agenda on the future of tourism in the south east.’

Do you need help?

Are you  a business or organisation that needs help to boost accommodation or admission sales, or secure more media coverage to  improve awareness amongst visitors? Or are you a TV production company looking for an enthusiastic specialist researcher with insider knowledge about lesser known or unusual visitor attractions? Manifold Associates could help you by coming up with compelling ideas to bring the world beating a path to your door, or viewers to a screen near you. For further examples of how the presentation of interesting stories behind tourist icons can engage, inform and educate visitors as well as inspiring visits, read my February post ‘Surprising stories behind tourist icons’.

Visit our website for more information about what we have to offer, including what customers think about our services.

Ahoy there! Summer fun afloat in Maidstone (and southern England)

Cowes Week

According to the British Marine Federation only 2.73% of the UK population own some sort of boat, which makes it a somewhat minority interest. However, half the country’s population live within five miles of a canal or river, 11 million people regularly visit  inland waterways every year, and there are more than 32,000 registered boats on the water. Even if you’re a’ landlubber’ this is the best week of the entire summer for the casual visitor to get (albeit temporarily) interested in boating,  and heading for the waterfront  somewhere, whether it’s the coast, or a navigable river.

This week is Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight, just off the south coast of England in Hampshire. More information about Cowes Week. The Isle of Wight is one of my favourite places, although I have to admit I prefer to go there out of season when it’s less busy. Cowes Week is the highlight of peak season. More information about visiting the Isle of Wight.

Maidstone River Festival

In Britain you’re never very far from a river or the coast, and this year for the first time I decided to take the opportunity to visit this year’s Maidstone River Festival, to find out if this annual nautical carnival has anything to offer the casual visitor, as opposed to the convinced ‘yachtie’ type who owns their own boat.  Although it’s on an inland river, and on a much smaller scale than Cowes, as a landlubber myself, I still found it good fun. The serious yachties moor up days in advance, and die hard fans who sail  up the Medway to Maidstone in their own boats, decorate them in line with an annual theme – which this year was the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the WW2 Dunkirk evacuation (masterminded from Dover Castle in Kent, by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay, a  distant family relation).

I’d been tipped off that the highlight of the entire Maidstone River Festival weekend is always the Saturday afternoon raft race, and that’s what drew me to visit. I watched as teams of amateurs in fancy dress first contest a competition for best turned out raft, and then race on their home made craft, against the current, upstream from Whatmans Park to old Maidstone bridge, next to the county town’s law courts.  Having completed the race, which was won this year by Maidstone Canoe Club in ‘HMS Thrust’, competitors take turns to try and sink each others craft with flour bombs and jets of water, as they turn and drift back downstream to the start, to the evident delight and amusement of spectators lining the banks, and looking down from the bridges spanning the course (the best vantage point for taking photos).

The event co-incides with a funfair at Lockmeadow; and all along the town centre towpath, and in the car park near All Saints Church, are stalls selling fast food, raffle tickets and other trinkets, and stages with live musical entertainment. It was a lovely sunny day, and I also made another interesting discovery a new waterside restaurant, ‘The Barge,’ moored up adjacent to The Archbishops Palace, which looked like a nice place for riverside dining with a bit more style, inside and out. I plan to give it a try before the summer’s out, although it says on the website that it’s open year round!

There are a couple of other nautical diversions on offer in summer in Maidstone that are likely to be of particular interest to the casual visitor. These include one hour cruises downriver from central Maidstone to Kent Life heritage farm and museum of rural life, on the paddle steamer Allington Belle, which also operates two hour summer evening cruises from the Malta Inn Beefeater and adjacent Premier Inn at Sandling on Wednesdays and Friday evenings at 7.30 pm (booking essential). Motor cruiser Kentish Lady is a family business also operating trips to Kent Life, and they also offer 3 hour trips up the Medway to Teston Lock and back. I’ve walked along the towpath in this area, and can recommend the rural scenery you’ll encounter. For dates and times check the website.

More summer fun afloat in Dorset
Back on the south coast, if you’re looking for something a bit different, the summer barbecue cruise on Saturday nights at 7pm from Tuckton Bridge on the lower reaches of the rivers Stour and Avon in Christchurch, is an interesting propostion on a warm evening, with a one hour trip on the river followed by a barbecue and New Forest Ice cream. More information or phone for details on 01202 429119. A riverside table at the Captains Club Hotel on the river Stour might be a safer (but more expensive) bet if the weather looks a bit iffy.  For those game enough for a more nautical adventure, how about a boat trip out across Christchurch Harbour for a ‘Safari supper’ at the Beach House Cafe on Hengistbury Head. The next one is scheduled for August 13th, but you can also get out to this idyllic location the long way round, via the land train that operates from the main car park at Hengistbury Head, as well as by ferry from Mudeford Quay. Whenever the weather is fine, they put flags up to show from a distance that they’re open.

Expect the weather to play an important part in the success of such ventures as these. Experience suggests that there’s often a last minute flood of bookings in fine weather; but advance booking is vital to be sure of a place whenever such trips do go ahead. My advice is always to enquire well in advance, and, if you’re ever in a position to make recommendations about boat trips, include a caveat about watching the weather forecast, as safety is always paramount, and trips can get cancelled at short notice.

Looking for inspiration or help with marketing ?

If you seek nautical adventure, boat sales or hire for yourself or your customers in your local area, the definitive guides to navigable inland waterways in Britain, including the ‘River Thames and southern waterways’ edition, are published by Collins/Nicholson and available online from retailers such as Amazon.

If you’re a tourism business looking for new marketing ideas, Virtual Viv could help you. We can inspire you by sharing case studies, and can teach you basic DIY marketing skills. Contact us for more information.

Until next time…

A snapshot of English summer – on the beach

The coast of England, and many of its towns, popularly known as ’seaside resorts’ are undergoing something of a renaissance; and I saw more evidence for myself on a vist to Dorset earlier this week.

Background briefing
I bet you didn’t know that Scarborough in Yorkshire was established as the first English seaside resort as early as 1626, when a Mrs Elizabeth Farrow discovered a stream of acidic water running from one of the cliffs south of the town, giving birth to Scarborough Spa, which soon began attracting many visitors to take the waters there. In addition  medical experts including Richard Russell  in 1750 cottoned on to the idea of recommending the health benefits of bathing in Brighton salt water.

Ironically  the health benefits of bathing in salt and mineral rich water in places like Thermae Bath Spa (which I wrote about in September last year) is once again being recognised today -  illustrated by the successful marketing, and efficacy of  natural salt and mineral products sourced from places like the Dead Sea, years after consumers began to sneer at luridly coloured bath salts and bath cubes (remember them!) marketed in  1960s and 70s Britain, and poor sales plummeted the concept into temporary oblivion.

People were only able to travel long distances from urban and industrial concentrations of population to English seaside resorts in large numbers following the arrival of the railways, (which first came to Scarborough in 1845); although a few other easily accessible southern coastal towns such as Bognor Regis, Margate, and Brighton and other more northerly centres such as Morecambe and Skegness had begun to develop an initially local following amongst gentry and royalty. Only the wealthy could afford the expense of travelto the coast by stage coach or carriage, and later, paddle steamer, to escape the stifling and stinking summers suffered in great conurbations like Manchester and London, during the industrial revolution.

Bournemouth, where I found myself last week, is 200 years old this year. The heyday of English seaside resorts, when people came in their droves to enjoy the beaches, amusements and nightlife, ran roughly from the coming of the railway in the mid Victorian era, to the advent of package holidays in the 1970s. Then even the most well established and up market English resorts, including places like Bournemouth, and Torquay in Devon, began to notice the family market for long summer holiday breaks suffering a noticeable decline. The   visitor economy of coastal towns was forced to become more reliant on income from day visitors and people travelling on short breaks  by car as well as train, as the masses increasingly started jetting off to roast on the beach under virtually guaranteed Mediterranean sun.

From the early 1970s, holiday packages at affordable prices were provided by operators such as Thomson, Horizon and Clarksons, and the market for them literally took off, to the detriment of English seaside resorts. It soon necessitated the most seriously affected local authorities in English resorts trying to identify ways and means of regenerating themselves and appealing to new markets. The consequence was a process of re-invention which continues to this day.

The inside track on the rejuvenation of Bournemouth

I saw first hand what happened in Bournemouth in the 1970s, as I was living there as a student at the time. Undoubtedly it was one of the luckier English coastal towns, being blessed with a superb location, on a sweeping bay of golden sand sheltered by low cliffs, punctuated by narrow pathways called ‘chines’. These features allow direct pedestrian access to the beach from the town, which is dotted attractively with pine trees and public gardens.

It also helps that the coast around here enjoys spectacular views, with the protective chalk downlands of Purbeck along the western horizon, the Isle of Wight to the south east, and the New Forest National Park on its eastern fringe, which come together to make Bournemouth a great touring base.

The problem has always been that in England it can rain, even in summer. In the 1970s people who’d grown up used to wet weeks in the English west country, wanted a summer holiday with uninterrupted sunshine, something that seems to have far less importance nowadays. In fact what we now appreciate is that occasional rain has the benefit of keeping the surrounding English countryside relatively green in summer, compared to Mediterranean countries!

For a while, in 1970s Bournemouth, as in other coastal towns, misfits, substance abusers and social outcasts started to move in to vacant accommodation in the more run down area around the Lansdowne and Boscombe. In Bournemouth it was initially the success of English language schools, such as Anglo Continental in Wimborne Road; and later the new University campus at Wallisdown, that helped to turn things around, bringing in large numbers of  students, many coming initially to learn the language; and incidentally taking advantage of the inexpensive accommodation on offer (then). Many enjoyed their time in the town so much that they stayed on after their studies to work in the area, adding to the cosmopolitan atmosphere, and helping to secure Bournemouth’s  future success.

The Bournemouth International Centre then opened in 1984 to replace the ageing  Winter Gardens on the West Cliff, and The Pavilion (which has now been restored) in the centre of town, as a conference venue. This helped bring in more year-round business, and prevented the defection of valuable regular business from political party conferences and other organised groups, as well as providing a new venue for concerts by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, contemporary musicians and other events and productions.

It’s undoubtedly helped that Bournemouth has had a lot of great PR for high profile seafront housing development, especially in Branksome and the Sandbanks Peninsula; but also for the regenerated Boscombe area and its controversial surf beach, which I wrote about in November last year. Although coverage received by this latter project has been more mixed, from the evidence of my recent visits I still think it’s likely to be destined for long term success, assuming that the surf reef’s remaining teething problems can be successfully ironed out. The town has also helped put itself on the map with regular open air continental markets held in The central Square, and The Bournemouth Balloon, a tethered installation which ascends to a height of over 150 metres, and allows spectacular views up to 20 miles distant from its base in the Lower Gardens.

Similar spectacular coastal view experiences are also available at Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays and Brighton is planning a new tower, i360 at West Pier.

Summer 2010 highlights

If you’re looking to hire a surf pod at Boscombe surf beach or a beach hut on your visit to Bournemouth this summer you can book online subject to availability on the Visit Bournemouth website.

You’ll also find some great beachfront cafes strung out along Bournemouth Bay. When I visited the excellent Bistro on the Beach at Southbourne for lunch on a cloudy Wednesday last week, there were no window tables left by 12.45, so if you want one make sure you get there early! They also open for breakfast and for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, and a new takeaway kiosk has opened for the first time there this year. There’s another well located beachfront cafe at Branksome, and the exclusive Cafe Shore at Sandbanks looks great, but I haven’t actually tried either personally, as yet.

If you want an adrenaline rush and a ‘guaranteed bad hair day’ during your visit, it’s on offer on high speed powerboat trips around Bournemouth Bay and further afield, at Adventure cruises of Christchurch, based at nearby Mudeford Quay. Bournemouth Air Festival, an annual event in August offers a more exciting land based spectacle.

I understand that day trips to Bournemouth, and Weymouth, location of the sailing events for the London 2012 games, by steam train from London are available on limited dates this summer. More information. I have no experience of this operator, so my mention of this service cannot constitute a recommendation.

If you like what I write
If you’re part of an organisation looking to outsource PR or marketing services, or want help with your digital content strategy, my company Manifold Associates could provide the solution you’re looking for.  We’re happy to work with existing suppliers in a collaborative environment, and can work with your team to identify and brief new types of specialist service providers you might need, such as professional photographers. Contact us for more information.

Until next time…

Summer’s here and the living is easy!

I went to Gatwick airport this weekend. On a Friday afternoon in July I expected it to be busy, yet the Easyjet check in at North Terminal check in was quiet.  I didn’t have a problem getting a space on the first floor of the short term car park, and I came away glad that I wasn’t flying off to the Med myself. It’s another staycation for me this summer, and it’s already apparent that I’m not alone.

Thanks to factors as varied as the threat of the volcanic ash cloud returning,  people who’ve had their holiday budgets blown by the last Icelandic eruption, to fear of ongoing recession, the World Cup, and the simply fantastic weather that saw Wimbledon fortnight 2010 uninteruppted by rain, all the cicumstantial evidence that I’m aware of seems to point to another boom year for UK staycationing.

Buy produce and learn about fruit growing in The Garden of England

When the weather’s good there’s simply no place like England in summer, and it’s been beautiful in the south these past few weeks. In Kent, aka ‘The Garden of England’, the cherry season is now in full swing – always something I particularly look forward to. At Brogdale, near Faversham, home of the national fruit collection, they held their cherry festival this weekend.

If you live in Kent, are here on holiday, or planning a visit, Brogdale is a great place to buy and learn about the various fruits grown in Kent. Indeed if you want to learn about actually growing your own fruit, Brogdale is one of the best places to come, as you can go on guided tours of the orchards and nut platts and buy the various plants, bushes and trees, which are also sold online. They have a seasonal programme of fruit related events too. This year’s programme is typical:

Cherry festival	July	10 – 11
Plum Day	August	15
Nut Day	September	19
Cider Festival	September	25 – 26
Apple festival	October	23 – 24

Where to find the best cherries

In my humble opinion though, the very best cherries of all are those sold at The Cherry Basket, a pop-up roadside kiosk on the north side of the Cranbrook road outside the village of Goudhurst, in Kent, half a mile beyond the Taywell Farm shop (a good place incidentally for local asparagus, blueberries and strawberries).

The Cherry Basket is only ever there from late June until mid July annually, so catch it while you can – it’s well worth waiting for! That’s my latest picture of their produce above.   This year these most succulent of cherries cost £5.50  per kilo basket. They’re just the best, and there’s absolutely nothing like eating them fresh, straight from the stall. The carefully netted trees where they grow can be seen in the fields right alongside, and you can just taste the freshness.

NEW – what to do when you find something you like in Kent

Share your secrets with the world on the brand new My Kent website.

What I can do for you

As well as being a Kentish cherry fan and active blogger, I’m a content strategist. If you represent a business or a destination management organisation, and you’re looking to outsource, I’m someone who can research, interpret, contextualise and produce original multi-platform content for you, and commission the images to go with it. If  you’re interested in finding out more, contact me at Manifold Associates.

Until next time…

An insiders guide to making an exhibition of yourself

When I was recently offered the opportunity of showcasing my business at a consumer exhibition, I jumped at the chance. It seemed to offer a good opportunity to see if I could  generate some local sales leads, even although it meant giving up a precious day of my time over a weekend, usually reserved as sacrosanct family time. However I soon discovered, whether you’re a visitor to an exhibition, or an exhibitor hosting a stand, if it’s a summer event, there can be a lot to think about. One thing’s for sure, during the course of the day I learned a lot!

Supporting charity
The exhibition was part of a community open day for the Kent air ambulance, and held at their headquarters and operational base. The life saving air ambulance service of Kent is entirely dependent upon the community, particularly the groups, clubs, business, organisations and individuals who fundraise on its behalf. It happens to be based in our local village, and is a real lifesaver when major incidents or serious road traffic accidents occur. I’ve seen how it the benefited a local farmer we know, who was seriously injured in a tractor accident on neighbouring land, some distance from the nearest road.

I try to support local charities, and it’s something clients notice long term, on a subliminal level. That’s why I make sure I always buy Kent Air Ambulance Christmas Cards, and contribute to their fundraising activities when I can.

Some of the interesting ways Kent Air Ambulance create an additional buzz for visitors of all ages on their open day, which is aimed mainly at fundraising from the general public, is to bring in children’s amusements, vintage car owners clubs, and an entertaining Star Wars costuming group called UK Garrison.

How weather plays a part

If an event is partially held outdoors, as this one always is, the weather can be an important influence on overall success. This is something that exhibitors and visitors need to bear in mind. On this occasion the event was held on one of the hottest days of the year (so far).

One has to dress appropriately for temperatures approaching 30ºC and high humidity, which dictated an airy linen dress for me (linen or silk, blended with cotton as a less expensive alternative,  are usually the best bet for the more formal items of clothing when it’s really hot), and comfortable shoes. There’s nothing more off putting for visitors than a perspiring exhibitor!

You don’t want to look like you’re suffering from stress if you hope to make a positive and favourable impression on people. My advice is check the weather forecast and dress accordingly, and go for a layered look if there’s any uncertainty. Exhibition visitors will also feel more comfortable heeding this advice.

Another aspect to consider is the effect of extreme temperature on plant displays. In these times of austerity it seemed appropriate to use skills honed in the local church flower arranging circle to save on the cost of decorating my stand, by creating two fresh flower arrangements myself. My arrangements included some billowy pink peonies from the garden. In spite of overnight conditioning, some of the peonies began to wilt noticeably in the heat. By mid afternoon it became necessary to remove two blooms that had begun to go brown round the edges. Keep everything watered, and whisk away any dead or dying stuff – at exhibitions appearances count for a lot.

Postioning considerations

I was lucky that my stand was postioned by an entrance, which is usually a high traffic area, (retail experts call this space with high footfall), and therefore with greater potential to generate stand visitors.  Corner spots are often good too, as you can capture visitors passing in two directions. Premium stand positions may be priced to exhibitors at a premium. In this case try at least to get an ‘early bird rate’ by committing to exhibit early on.

Something I hadn’t thought about at all was air flow. I’d decided to use multi coloured helium balloons to help attract attention to my stand. It wasn’t a bad idea, but what I didn’t realise was that a position by a door can mean a strong one way draught develops, and my balloons were being dragged in unwanted directions across the front of the stand and into a neighbouring space. So I had to forget the long weighted strings I’d planned to use to display them either side of my stand, and tether them on a shorter string to the pole adjacent to the entrance. Take some duct or gaffer tape as a contingency.

Creating an impact on your stand

Hosting an exhibition stand involves capturing the interest of passing visitors, who as a matter of course usually try and avoid eye contact.  This is somewhat unnerving at first, but you can use the implications to your advantage. Here are a few other ideas I’ve picked up:

• Have a handout, which explains what you do at a glance, and what the stand is all about. It gives you an excuse to accost people as they pass.
• Offer a business card prize draw in a glass bowl. It can be useful for generating leads and has the benefit of forcing people to venture up to your desk.
• Branded carrier bags can work well, but make them tasteful and give thought to relevant but lightweight content.
• Everyone attending an exhibition likes to pick up free stuff and have something to put it in, but most gets thrown away later, unless it’s attractive, genuinely useful or both. No one wants anything heavy or tacky.
• Signage and display material should support your message; but at a glance.
• Pop up banners are a great idea, but give careful thought to the format and content in detail, or the investment can be wasted. Have your name and logo prominently on the top, not at floor level where people can’t see it, let alone read it.
• Draft a bulleted list of services offered, and try and use one, or perhaps two, clear graphics or representational images to illustrate what’s on offer in your handout. Make sure to include contact information and your website address.
• Avoid assuming that visitors understand jargon words or acronyms.  For example, if you’ve won an award it’s better to imagine explaining it to someone outside your industry sector, and explaining in full each word making up the constituent letters.
• Hand out business cards, so bring a good stock, and collect them from visitors if it’s a trade show. Consumers won’t have them though; so you must either ensure you give them a reason, or way, to remember you, or you must solicit their contact details, for example by collecting competition entries!Otherwise you have no way to follow up their interest.
• Tell your friends and business contacts you have an exhibition stand. They’ll probably enjoy coming to see someone they know, and it gives you an opportunity to update them on new services or developments they’re likely to be interested in.
• Watch the inimitable Geoff Burch’s guide to making an exhibition of yourself on You Tube

Give thought to taking a break

If you’re in the awkward position, like I was, of running an exhibition stand on your own, give thought to a way of allowing yourself time to take breaks. I persuaded my husband to look after things while I took a lunch break, and this also had the benefit of allowing me enough time to visit other stands and distribute my handout.  It probably doesn’t look good to have to eat  lunch in front of visitors to your own stand.

My final piece of advice is to make friends with fellow exhibitors at stands nearby. They might be prepared to reciprocate if you agree to mind their stand for a few minutes, and you never know, they might even be interested in what you have to offer.

Taking things further

As well as occasionally making an exhibition of myself , if you run a small business, I can teach  you DIY PR and marketing skills. For larger organisations looking to outsource, I can deliver PR and marketing related training workshops and help with  content strategy on a freelance basis. For more information about the services we offer, contact me at Manifold Associates or visit our website.

Until next time…

Be a bystander in 2012… or sail into history?

A question of salt

This weekend I came to stay in Maldon Essex, somewhere I’d never been to before. I already knew about Maldon salt of course, I use it myself in cooking.  I half expected to see the salt factory, and take a tour, but there was no signage in evidence in the town, and there’s nothing on the website to indicate that it’s possible to visit, just lots of information including a video presentation about the manufacturing process, and a history of the business.

It was a sunny day, so, instead, based on a vague notion that Maldon must be on the coast or a tidal river,  I strolled down the High Street in seach of the quay from my base at the Blue Boar Hotel, a photogenic old coaching inn. Full of character, I was amazed to discover it even has its own on-site Farmers brewery, and, on the day I visited, a beer festival was in progress to re-inforce the point!

Summer attractions on the Hythe at Maldon

Passing by way of the well signposted local visitor information office, which although closed, distributes a free local guide, I soon found the quay, passing historic St Mary’s church on the way.

The Hythe is a lively place with several waterfront pubs, and posters advertising crabbing competitions (with monetary prizes) and other exciting sounding children’s adventure activities taking place locally. More information about visiting Maldon.

On the day I was there, river cruises were operating on the tidal river Blackwater, although I was unfortunately too late in the day to join one. However, one other interesting thing I found were plenty of advertisements from a company called Topsail Charters,  offering various adventures on board historic Thames Sailing Barges, one of which was tied up alongside the quay.

About Thames Sailing barges

I’ve discovered that, in their heyday, around 1860, there were up to 5,000 of these fine old ships, with their distinctive red ochre sails, operating as cargo vessels on the east coast of Britain, with the last few working until the 1960s. In Maldon the version known as a ’stackie’ was used to transport bales of straw and hay, stacked to a level halfway up the mast, away from local arable farms.

Built for ease of handling, with a mast that pivots to allow them to sail under relatively low bridges, Thames Sailing Barges have a shallow draft and flat bottom. This means that they can rest without support on mudflats at low tide, in the shallow tidal rivers and creeks that are found along the Thames estuary. At the turn of the twentieth century the sailing barge fleet still numbered over 2,000 – but today only a handful of these traditional barges survive, restored and converted for leisure usage.

More pictures of sailing barges

Onboard adventures

With prices advertised for Maldon departures starting at £17 per head for a two hour two island cruise to £30 for a 3 and a half hour trip with a traditional ploughmans and apple crumble lunch, a cruise onboard a Thames Sailing Barge can be an attractive proposition. There are also various options for birdwatching cruises (sailing is almost silent, remember); and you can even hire out a barge out of season for a static self catering weekend if you’re worried about seasickness.

There are options for everything from team building events, to weddding receptions held aboard Thames Sailing barges. They’re available from Ipswich, London, Maldon or Tilbury, with operation broadly possible on the east coast of Britain between Aldeburgh in the north, down to Faversham in Kent in the south. More information and full details.
There is also a Thames sailing barge based at Whitstable in Kent offering summer cruises. More information

Thames estuary summer racing schedule

For a real adventure and fantastic photo opportunities, you can watch Thames sailing barge match races , held each summer.  Here are the remaining dates of the to be held in the summer of 2010:

* July 3 Thames (Gravesend)
* August 7 Swale (Faversham)
* August 28 Southend
* September 4 Colne (Brightlingsea)

Book well in advance if you’re interested in joining a racing barge for the day (for safety reasons on board participation is not permitted). Some of the races can also be followed on a spectator boat. These are annual events, so  check online for dates announced for future years.  Spaces for 2012 are likely to be particularly in demand in the weeks immediately prior to the London games, so I’d recommend planning ahead.

London 2012  – opening ceremony news

This week it’s been announced that Oscar-winning Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry, will direct and produce the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the London 2012 Games. Find out how to register your interest in booking tickets.

A standalone production company, London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd, has now been set up and will be based in Three Mills Studio near the Olympic Park in East London, which I saw on a recent visit. For more information about what’s happening on on the ground in East London and at the Olympic Park at the moment, see my previous post dated May 25 on the subject, visit the London 2012 website or Inside the Games, a news site.

How Viv can help you

There will be increasing media interest in stories about tourism and the UK visitor economy during the run up to London 2012 . Commission me to help you with writing  about, filming or  photographing your destination or business, or simply researching and writing punchy copy about newsworthy events you’re involved in organising.

I’ll cut to the quick and won’t go over the top with waffle, puff  or hyperbole. A true content strategist, I can package up information in the form of anything from website content or advertorials, to news releases or video scripts, to match your end user needs.  I’ll take real pride in doing a great job, so why not contact me at Manifold Associates to find out more.

Until next time…

Minding the gap? Why writing can be a challenge…

You may have wondered why there’s been a gap in posts in the last week or so. The answer’s quite simple. As you’ve probably realised by now, I make a living through my use of word and image, and the assistance that I give to other businesses, to help them more effectively  market themselves or their  destination to consumers, or other businesses.

I’m a one man band – and what that means in reality is, that it really is just me that does all the work. It can be very fulfilling, but it takes a lot of time. So when I’m really really busy, something has to give, and this time it was Virtual Viv that had to feel the pain.

Time managment for creative types

Problems can occur with a blog due to unecessary time spent on procrastination. I’ve  found it can be a problem selecting a single topic to focus on, even when theoretically I have a free choice. I like to be topical, and several themes I’ve been mulling over in recent weeks continue to compete for attention; and I couldn’t decide which to dash off quickly, like I usually do. It was only when I realised that too much time was elapsing, and that I had to make a decision or risk alienating everyone who looks out for my posts, that I simply got down to writing about an entirely new topic, unblocking the metaphoriacal ‘log jam’ in my torrent of thoughts, and solving my problem ‘at a stroke’.

Still a relative ‘newbie’, I find as I get used to regular blogging that the answer is to write up a plan and initial draft of potential topics and a stock of photography to accompany them. This does go slightly against the grain with me; but nevertheless the words can always be kept topical, and new photos can always be taken.  For me the best type of plan is one that can be flexible and has potential to be changed if necessary.

Avoiding stress

I pride myself on  anticipating how long something’s going to take; but like many writers I’ve discovered the hard way that it’s sometimes hard to be accurate. Like anyone, I can get thrown when I find things taking far longer than I’d thought.

I don’t think I’m alone in getting stressed by the realisation that I’ve got less time to do the things I need to do, than I thought I had, especially at this busy time of year. What I’ve found by experience, is that this is most likely to happen when I have to push  boundaries in my own knowledge while I’m working, something which, in our fast moving digital age, always has the potential to occur. The answer, I’ve realised is to work in a smarter way, not just be smarter about marketing, and allow for such a contingency.

Absorbing new stuff is important

Now don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy learning new things. No one could accuse me of being an old dog which refuses to learn new tricks.   In the last two or three years, I’ve managed to find time to learn German and pass the GCSE exam, study Geology to AS level at a school with a group of 17 year olds, taking and passing another exam in the process; and try video editing  (not my thing at all) and screen printing (which I intend to continue). I’m also currently learning Italian, and hope to take that forward to GCSE as well.

I also subscribe to other blogs and loads of e-newsletters. Among those I currently find most useful are Travolution, Travelmole and Travel Blather, which gets my vote as a great blog.

When it comes to writing, there’s a lot of really sensible advice in the book ‘Brilliant Copywriting’ by Roger Horbury (ISBN 978-0-273-72734-7).

Learning from past errors

When you’re in the middle of a big but exciting research and writing project, as I’ve been over the past few weeks, it can be easy to allow it to take over your life.  That’s never likely to be a good move, and must be avoided.

Determined to do things differently this time, I continued much as usual this time, even wearing a wig and dark glasses to a party to avoid being recognised as tired and haggard, which perhaps was going a bit far! However I didn’t miss my exercise class and even managed to fit two days on long distance walks, and deliver a breakfast presentation about my business, to an audience of local business people from outside the tourism industry. This really helped crystallise my thoughts about how to explain better exactly what it is that I do. More about that in a future post…

So apologies to everyone who’s wondered about the decline in frequency of posts. You’ll be glad to know that I’m now back on the straight and narrow, determined to keep up with near weekly posts (I think it’s only fair to retain some flexibility).

Did you realise that you  could commission Virtual Viv to help you with writing  about, filming or  photographing your destination or business. I never go over the top with waffle, puff  or hyperbole. A true content strategist, I can find a great angle for your news; creating or writing anything from website content or advertorials, to news releases or video scripts – I’ve got plenty of form – and I’ll take real pride in doing a great job for you too! So why not contact me at Manifold Associates to find out more.

Until next time…

How to get to London 2012

This week, as the official games mascots Wenlock and Mandeville were launched to the world, I had the opportunity to visit East London to see for myself the progress being made on the Olympic Park.

An unpromising start…

For those wondering if there’s anything interesting for members of the public to see yet, the answer has to be a resounding yes. In fact walking tours of the main site, such as the one I joined, led by an official blue badge guide, are now available.

The tours start from Bromley By Bow station(one of the stops on the District Line going towards Upminster). You might think on arrival that you’ve come to the wrong place, as you emerge from the station onto a dual carriageway, and believe me, the traffic noise is pretty horrendous, and the fragile looking skeleton of the Olympic stadium is only just visible in the middle distance.

Worry not. Hang on in there, and seemingly in a flash the guide leads you down a flight of steps below the road level. You then cross under the road, and pass down the side of a Tesco superstore occupying land reclaimed from former use as a chemical factory. This unlikely start then takes you over a bridge into a new side of East London, starting with The Three Mills, a conservation area and home of a restored tidal water mill on the River Lea, called House Mill. Incidentally the river Lea has been the beneficiary of a huge clean up operation, and is now part of a network of restored navigable waterways that are adding to the area’s emerging attractiveness.  Also nearby is a large park and the Three Mills film studios, Londons largest, but least well known.

Of the original three mills (one of which is now demolished),  House Mill has  recently been restored and converted into a visitor attraction, with the ground floor of the Millers House turned into a pleasant waterfront cafe.   Plans are afoot and money is being raised to convert the mill to generate hydro electricity in the future. It’s one of the  earliest known tidal mills in England, and was one of several providing flour for the bakers of Stratford-atte-Bow, who supplied bread to the City of London.

A surprising discovery in a watery grave

Our guide explained that the original plan had been to use the recently restored waterway network around the Olympic Park to transport visitors to the games; but this plan has not been actioned because of security fears.

Continuing along an adjacent waterway, we were astounded to hear about recent plans to  rescue the original Euston Arch, which was discovered dumped in a watery resting place here,  in Prescott Channel (NOT named incidentally, after a certain former UK deputy Prime Minister of the last government).

The Euston Arch originally stood  outside the London railway station of the same name, but was demolished in 1961 following the failure of a campaign to save it led by the late Sir John Betjeman. The campaign to rescue the arch and restore it to a position outside the current Euston station, is being led by historian Dan Cruickshank, who located the remains after some persistent detective work. Read about his campaign. You can support the campaign to re-erect the arch by contributing to the blog, or join the Facebook group.

The green way to Stratford

On our tour we also heard about the Greenway to the Olympic Park, a flat walking route for pedestrians to access it,  which will run all the way from Beckton on the north bank of the Thames in East London.  Our guide told us that the route is not yet fully complete as I write. However it seems that it could be a good move for Londoners in 2012 to get to the Olympic Park by taking the District or Hammersmith and City line tube to West Ham, one of the three designated Olympic gateway stations, from where the Greenway will be well signposted.

Another option for locals and visitors will be to take the tube to Stratford at the end of the Jubilee line, particularly convenient for the new Westfield shopping centre which is scheduled to open at the Olympic Park at the end of 2011; but I bet that’s going to experience a huge volume of passengers! Incidentally, having seen what it’s like at the moment, my advice is to not bother going to Stratford for shopping until Westfield opens.

Coming from Kent, it already seems to be obvious that the best way to get to the Olympic Park from there will be to leave the car at home, and take a Javelin high speed train to Stratford International, which links in to the other end of the Westfield complex from the Jubilee line station. Read my post about the high speed Javelin service.

At the Park site
The closest station to the stadium construction site at the moment is Pudding Mill Lane on the Docklands light railway; but that particular station will be closed for the duration of the games, because it will be unable to handle the large volume of visitors that would otherwise be experienced.

To view the Olympic Park construction site, including the stadium and the Aquatic Centre, already dubbed ‘The Pringle’ (owing to the shape of its curved roof like the eponymous potato crisp brand), a viewing platform, visitor interpretation centre and small cafe has been set up, called the View Tube, which can be booked for group visits.

In conclusion, a walking tour is probably the best option at the moment to find your way around the Olympic Park and receive informed commentary about the games.

News and information about London 2012. Or visit Inside the Games.

Can I help you?

Are you looking for insider information and informed comment about destinations or tourism in Britain? You could commission me as a freelance photo journalist, to undertake desk research or market intelligence  work. For more information contact me at Manifold Associates.

Until next time…

What happens when reality kicks in…

A week in politics…
Following the election, reality has kicked in for politicians this week, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats being forced to work together in coalition.

One of the more fascinating aspects of the aftermath of the election was seeing news being created before our eyes. Friends and colleagues confessed to being fascinated by the ongoing possibility of hearing indiscretions in off the cuff remarks, hastily organised press conferences and opportunistic pavement interviews. There’s no doubt in my mind that thanks to this type of reality television, we’ve been able to witness history in the making and gained more insight into the workings of politics.

Incidentally, Weston Super Mare MP John Penrose has been appointed to the new post of Tourism Minister, and Jeremy Hunt confirmed as Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Olympics and Sport in the new UK coalition government.

…demonstrating the power of reality television

The election aftermath also made me appreciate even more the power of reality television. Production companies love it because it’s relatively cheap television to make, yet the ‘fly on the wall’ approach can provide great entertainment value. So this week I wanted to look at winners and losers in reality shows featuring businesses involved in tourism and the UK visitor economy.

A poisoned chalice for accommodation providers?

Accommodation providers featured in reality shows can expect immediate efects on business. I can be certain of this because I’ve interviewed some recent participants. It also helps of course that accommodation providers take advance bookings, and have the opportunities to ask people how they heard about the business either when they enquire, or during their stay.

‘Three in a Bed’ is the latest and greatest Channel 4 tourism reality show I’ve seen(Wednesdays 8pm). It features three bed and breakfast accommodation providers each week testing out an overnight stay in each others premises, and paying what they think it’s worth on check out afterwards. They also take their fellow operators off on a jaunt to a local visitor attraction to give them a flavour of the destination.

I urge you to watch it, partly for its sheer entertainment value; but more importantly as an opportunity to learn from the successes and mistakes of others if you’re operating in any type of service industry.

The opportunity to see yourself as others see you, another thing that this programme highlights,  is an extremely useful exercise. That’s one of the reasons why most of the successful operators featured in the series pay to have themselves inspected and graded by Visit Britain.

It’s become apparent that it’s not always the most highly graded business that ‘wins’ the collective accolade from fellow owner managers each week. It seems to be more down to hard work, attention to detail when it comes to customer service, and value for money.  Part of the deal is that guests are free to choose to overpay or underpay for their stay on check out, depending on how they feel. The greatest entertainment value comes mainly from seeing victims of criticism and underpayment burning with resentment for the entire programme as a result of their experience.

In actual fact, none of the Visit Britain 5 star Gold award winning establishments featured in the programme has won any of the programmes I’ve seen. What’s fascinating is that it actually doesn’t appear to really matter who wins. The programme’s a winner because what it does is to show up, and indeed showcase,  the strengths and weaknesses of each business and business owner, and how they handle people, praise and criticism.

Tourism is a people industry, and the programme shows clearly that people who take genuine pride in giving excellent customer service can expect to be successful. Great people can make a huge impact.

What this programme also demonstrates that there are some people who need real help if they’re ever to make a success of hospitality. They need to learn to be accepting of constructive critism, and above all to enjoy working with people. To be truly successful in hospitality, you need more than drive and passion; you need empathy.

Do programmes deliver measurable business?

I interviewed two businesses featured in recent episodes of ‘Three in a Bed’ (neither of them a ‘winner’ of the programme in which they featured). I wanted to guage whether they thought that their business had benefited from the coverage. The results of this admittedly unscientific straw poll were overwhelmingly positive.

Jenny Hadfield of Jeakes House,  Rye, was very positive and told me that she’d received a lot of interest in the form of enquiries since the programme was broadcast. Her email inbox had got jammed at one point, and she was pleasntly surprised to find that a lot of the interest was from past guests and other friends.  She also felt particularly pleased ‘to have the opportunity to show a good bit of Rye off on national television’, something that she felt could benefit th ancient Sussex town as a destination in the longer term.

Anna Deacon of the funky new Arthouse Bed and Breafast, Canterbury was also very positive about the benefits of participation.  She told me that she’d received 87 email enquiries on the same evening the programme was broadcast, and 10 bookings the following day, with many people commenting that they loved her idea of the relaxed self service continental breakfast they offer. It might not be for everyone, as it was something unanimously criticised by the other business owners in the programme, who pride themselves on the breakfasts they provide.

Longer term benefits for visitor attractions ?

I have to declare a personal interest, in that I was once filmed by Keo films for a BBC2 reality show, at work delivering a marketing training course. It was attended by Tom Hart Dyke of Lullingstone Castle in Kent. Although the  footage was destined for the  series ‘Save Lullingstone Castle’, my moment of fame ended up on the cutting room floor. It could happen to you.

Tom can confirm that both series, including the subsequent ‘Return to Lullingstone Castle’, had the benefit of raising awareness of Lullingstone (and him as a self confessed ‘plant nut’ and horticultural expert)  as well as helping to turn the fortunes of the family run estate around.

A more recent programme in the Channel 4 series ‘Country House Rescue’ fronted by Ruth Watson, aimed to do a similar job for the gardens of Riverhill House, near Sevenoaks, also in Kent. It looks like they’re making a good go of the positive boost to their profile given to them by the programme, and I wish them good luck with the Himalyan themed landscape garden.

Nearby Sissinghurst Castle has also been the beneficiary of reality TV, but as that series of programmes showed, part of the reality concept’s enteratinment value is that it does tend to give a warts and all portrait of participating personalities. Some of it may be down to judicious editing, but I feel it likely that Sarah Raven may not have completely satisfied with her portrayal in the saga of tablecloths and menu changes she wanted for the property’s restaurant in the teeth of strong resistance by staff.

Generally though, reality television can be a great way for visitor attractions to boost awareness,  and through that, to increase visitor numbers or admmissions in the longer term.

As Anna Decon of Arthouse bed and breakfast in Canterbury admitted to me  at the end of our conversation ‘ we were a bit naive when we went into it’; but there’s no doubt that she and partner John Taylor also found the overall experience beneficial. Her parting advice to businesses thinking of signing up for exposure in a reality show?  ‘Be careful’.

I work for Manifold Associates, and my colleague Vivienne Boucher develops and delivers PR, marketing and e-business training for tourism businesses. Much of this work is delivered on behalf of Tourism South East and East of England Tourism.

Until next time…

Oh to be in England…now the blossom’s out!

Spring has well and truly arrived at last! In our area of Kent it’s arrived about two weeks later than usual. Our bluebell woods, marking remnants of ancient woodland  across the Weald of Kent that have never seen a plough, are in full bloom right now – although normally they flower in mid April.

Unusually this year, apple and pear trees are also in bloom across the Garden of England at exactly the same time as bluebells, and rain has come at exactly the right moment to conspire to make the English countryside look its best for the photo opportunities of the election campaign, and the day itself on Thursday – one reason perhaps, why this time of year makes a popular choice for politicians to go to the polls!

I wanted to show you in the pictures accompanying this post, just how beautiful the English landscape is at this time of year, so you don’t miss out. I lived in London myself for over 20 years, and unfortunately in cities you’re hardly conscious of the turn of the seasons.

Weather predictions

Another thing I noticed as I drove up across more beautiful couyntryside to Suffolk this week, was that ash trees had come into leaf before the oak. According to ancient English folklore, it doesn’t bode well for summer weather when trees come into leaf in a different order than usual. It seems from my evidence that we could be in for a rainy summer this year because:

When the oak before the ash, then we can expect a splash,

When the ash before the oak, then we can expect a soak!

Following last summer’s unfortunate predictions about a ‘barbecue summer’ and the recent flak received over what might now be being viewed as an a possible over reaction to the volcanic ash cloud emanating from Iceland, I somehow think that the Met Office may be hoping for a lower profile on its long term weather predictions.

But honestly, I don’t think it matters if it sometimes rains in the English countryside occasionally. Most rain that falls in spring or summer seems to me to be of the gentle type that makes the English countryside such a green and pleasant land, the temperatures remains pleasant and showers rarely last long. Whether you’re a visitor or a host, simply find out the weather forecast and expected temperature, or check online, so that you can be prepared, and take an umbrella and showerproof clothing if necessary. More often than not the short term forecast will be correct, as it’s based on radar readings these days.

And if you do get caught out in a shower, many savvy retailers (Boots the chemist being an example), have cottoned on to the idea of selling compact umbrellas by their tills, that you can keep in the car or in your bag.

Now’s one of the best times to take a break in the countryside, when everything’s green, fresh, and pleasantly uncrowded (with the possible exception of Easter and bank holiday weekends). If you’re looking for recommendations for destinations and places to stay, try checking out the Enjoy England website, or you could do worse than to read my post about three of my favourite southern market towns where you may be able to escape the masses.

If you already live and work in the English countryside like me, my advice is to learn to appreciate the beauty on your own doorstep. You might also like to read my post from last summer on the subject of marketing the rural idyll. Clean air, picturesque views, friendly  neighbours, encounters with local wildlife, and people who actually talk to you in shops, are things that we can all too easily take for granted. To people who live in cities, hearing a cuckoo call, or seeing the moon and stars at night can be an amazing experience.

Did you realise that you could commission Virtual Viv to write about and photograph your local area or business. I can create or write anything from website content or advertorials to news releases – and I’ll take real pride in doing a great job for you too! Contact me at Manifold Associates

Until next time….