Tourism Turnaround Planned for Burton on Trent

Feb 9th, 2010 | By Chris Towland | Category: Burton Stuff, Info Snippets

Proposals to turn Burton on Trent and East Staffordshire into a tourism hotspot were put before the Council’s Cabinet members at a meeting yesterday.

The report details how key tourism projects, such regular large-scale events and the creation of new attractions, could support the development of a visitor economy in East Staffordshire and also discusses how the Council can work with partners to make the borough a more desirable destination for tourists.

It focuses on three main areas identified for project development; maximising the impact of the waterways including the Trent and Mersey Canal, River Trent and washlands, the development of a festival or series of linked, borough-wide events and proposals to turn the Leasowes Farm Extraction Pits into an outdoor leisure facility.

“East Staffordshire?s tourism profile has a lot of potential but is in need of investment and development to carry it forward,” said Councillor Robert Hardwick, Deputy Leader for Development and Regeneration.

“Over the next few years the borough will see the arrival of a number of new attractions that will help broaden the range of experiences available in the area. “For example, the FA’s decision to locate its National Centre, now known as St George?s Park, in Burton upon Trent has dramatically raised the profile of the area and the related development of a high quality hotel and conferencing facility will help meet an identified gap.
“The Council is now looking to build on these investments and work with the attractions that are already established in the area such as Tutbury Castle or Uttoxeter Racecourse, and has come up with a number of other potential developments that together can raise East Staffordshire?s profile.

“Schemes like the Central Rivers Initiative, which aims to link the mineral extraction pits from Tamworth to Burton as a Midlands Water Park, further proposals for Barton Marina and the recent news that the Coors Visitor Centre will be re-opened as a National Brewery Centre, will all benefit the borough in terms of increased visitors and spend in the area.”

Since April 1st, 2009, East Staffordshire Borough Council has strengthened its commitment to support the development of a visitor economy. To achieve this the Council has implemented a number of changes designed to develop East Staffordshire as a „product? or tourist destination rather than just delivering a front facing service to incoming visitors or local residents.

Part of this plan was the move to providing a more cost effective and efficient Tourism Information Point at Burton?s Customer Service Centre in the heart of the town, which has been designed to act as a gateway to the National Forest.

Furthermore the Council recently took part in the launch if the 2010 National Forest and Beyond visitor campaign to encourage visitors to the National Forest and the surrounding area, including the towns and villages of East Staffordshire.