Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Dave Burrows
Push to raise Shrewsbury tourism spend by 50pc
Friday 27th January 2012, 10:59AM GMT.
Council chiefs want the amount visitors spend in Shrewsbury town centre to increase by £73 million by 2015, it was revealed today.
Tourism currently generates £137 million for the town centre each year. But Shropshire Council today said they hoped to increase that by 50 per cent in three years to £210 million.
Targets have also been set to increase footfall from 2.6 million people a year to four million in the same time period.
Authority bosses say they are working on a number of initiatives to meet the targets.
Initiatives include choosing a ‘mentor’ town to twin with to advise them on marketing strategies.
Council bosses are visiting similar towns, such as Chester, to hold discussions.
The aims were outlined at Shropshire Tourism Association’s annual general meeting at Shrewsbury’s Lion Hotel yesterday.
Clive Wright, Shropshire Council’s central area director, said: “These figures are an increase of 50 per cent but we think it is a very realistic target to aim for. The marketing of the town centre is hugely important but we haven’t been doing it as well as we should have.”
He added: “We need to enhance the visitor experience.”
He said measures could include planning and monitoring festivals more closely to see which brought in the most revenue, having clearer signposting at the key gateways into town, and providing good public toilets for people to use.
Developing themed tours and preserving the character of Shrewsbury could also drive up footfall.
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How about they concentrate on the quality of life for those living in the town before they swamp it with more cars and daytrippers.
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When I lived in Nantwich we had fabulous street theatre and/or music, paid for by the council, nearly every weekend. Performing arts students are happy to play for very little.
Much more use should be made of the square. There is nothing much which can be done with Pride Hill.
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Keep the Lion Hotel trading folks…no other option. And citizens arrests please for the perpetrators of that design abomination next to the Catalogue Surplus in old Barker Street. Any more of those and you can forget your tourism.
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Yes, let’s hope the Lion keeps going as it is. So many county hotels ate turned into apartments. BTW we probably know each other. I use my real ID.
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Hi there..you may know some of my facebook friends at least!
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No, Merc,
I only use fb to keep in touch with a few family members and friends scattered across the country and the globe. Lots of fun. We drink in the Nags and the Lion – aka Kat and Don, often seen consorting with a blonde Bearded Collie dog. Say hello if you run into us. Btw the owner of the Lion told me there was serious interest from private buyers rather than chains. I wish I had £3m but I don’t! It’s not a lot for such a magnificent place.
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