Tourism redefines our English Market Towns
Market towns all over the south east are being refreshed and revitalised thanks to pan-regional regeneration initiatives.
Historically, market towns were centres of thriving commercial and social activity drawing in visitors from a wide rural area who came to sell their own produce, buy provisions, meet old friends, dally with sweethearts or to strike a deal. As a result we have the legacy of wonderfully evocative street names - the Cheese Cross, Butcher Row, Salt Lane, the Cornmarket...and of course the many rural pubs and medieval coaching inns.
Today, however, market towns face a great challenge if they are to survive in a changing social and economic environment. One important means of protecting local services is to attract more visitors - just as they did in previous times. Today these gems of Britain's heritage and tradition need investment and rejuvenation.
To support this process Tourism South East (TSE), the South East Rural Towns Partnership (SERTP), Action for Market Towns and Action for Surrey Rural Towns joined forces to provide such towns with tourism guidance, information on contemporary ways of maximising their tourism assets and making the most of partnerships at a regional seminar. The event, hosted by the Haslemere Initiative, and supported by Waverly Borough Council was held on Thursday 23rd March at the Georgian House Hotel, Haslemere in Surrey. Over 100 delegates gathered to hear presentations from key tourism and partnership specialists, to learn about the support and funding available from Sport England and other lottery funding, to network and share best practice with other towns.
At themed sessions delegates were shown how to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their own town, how to rediscover hidden assets and how to use information to develop a plan of action. The object of these local partnership plans being improvement to the vibrancy and vitality of the town and its offering both as a place to live and to visit. As a result of this event TSE, the SERTP and partners look forward to seeing even more market town community projects developing across the region.
The 2006 Action for Market Towns Awards were also launched at the event, with calls for project applications to made by 5 May. "Events like these really inspire town partnerships to re-invigorate their efforts, learn from others and make the connections with supporting agencies and networks." Chris Wade, Chief Executive, Action for Market Towns.
Melanie Odell of the Haslemere Initiative, whose pilot tourism initiative has won several Market Towns Awards, said, "On first glance one would deny that visitors were even a possibility for a small rural town like Haslemere, but taking advantage of the town's 'secrets' and making the most of this beautiful area in a co-ordinated fashion has to be the way forward for the town."
Quote from Leanne Marr, Development Manager at TSE, "Tourism is increasingly seen as a vital economic and social regenerator for market towns, it's important that town partnerships know what support and guidance is available to help them explore and unlock their town's tourism potential. Every town has something to offer, it's just finding the right key!"
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For further information please contact Jodie Hodge, TSE Corporate Communications, on 023 8062 5502 or jhodge@tourismse.com
Notes to Editors
Tourism South East is the strategic tourism body for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex.
The South East Rural Towns Partnership (SERTP) provides a voice and network of support for town partnerships in the region. It includes representatives from each county / unitary authority, together with other agencies who have committed themselves to working positively with local communities and partnerships to deliver improved services and quality of life in rural towns across the region.
Action for Market Towns is a membership organisation dedicated to promoting the vitality and viability of small towns through an integrated approach.
Action for Surrey Rural Towns is a new programme designed to encourage small rural towns to undertake a healthcheck and to assist eligible towns in Surrey to bid into the SEEDA ( South East England Development Agency) Small Rural Towns programme.