NORTH PENNINES AONB PARTNERSHIP

NORTH PENNINES AONB PARTNERSHIP Marketing and Promotions Working Group Monday 10th November 2003, 10.30am, Rheged 1. Apologies 2. Minutes of the last meeting AGENDA 3. Matters Arising not covered by the Agenda 4. Rheged page 1 5. North Pennines Discovery Guide 2004 page 1 6. North Pennines Geology Festival page 2 7. Cyclist welcome page 3 8. Meat marketing page 4 9. Local products page 5 10. Wake Up To Wildlife page 6 11. Countryside Exchange page 7 12. Verbal updates (for information) Website Local Information Points Wild Rover North Pennines AONB European Geopark 13. Any other business 14. Date of Next Meeting

Item 4 Rheged Lead Organisation: North Pennines AONB Partnership Marketing of the North Pennines as a visitor attraction in Rheged Visitor centre. 4,000 per annum The North Pennines AONB Partnership maintains a promotional presence at the Rheged visitor centre. At the last AONB Partnership meeting on May 21 st 2003 it was agreed to continue as a marketing partner for a further year, but to monitor the benefits more closely. The meeting of 10 th November offers a further opportunity to examine the benefit accrued to the AONB from involvement at Rheged. It is proposed that the group go and inspect the marketing facility with a view to discussing further opportunities and possible improvements. RECOMMENDATION 1. That group members notes the decision to continue as a marketing partner initially for one year (from May). 2. That, after a brief tour of the facility, group members consider the current benefit to the North Pennines and how such benefit might be monitored. 3. That group members continue to feedback comments on promotional display to the Marketing & Sustainable Officer. Item 5 North Pennines Discovery Guide 2004 Lead Organisation: North Pennines AONB Partnership Marketing of the North Pennines as a visitor destination where natural beauty, history and culture are the chief assets; the promotion of local accommodation and sustainable travel, and raising awareness of the AONB designation along with promotion of Geopark status. 13,000 (Estimated) The 2003 guides have now been distributed. External funding has been sought for the 2004 guide without success. It is intended to have the 2004 Guide produced by December 2003. Production, Promotion and Distribution 1. The 2004 publication will devote less space to accommodation providers (i.e. they would not have such large entries) Funding from selected accommodation providers 1

may still be sought for enhanced entries. The guide will also focus much more heavily on geology, landscape, wildlife and sustainable tourism with examples of specific walks etc and more information on where wildlife can be seen at varying times of the year. The guide will also include a comprehensive AONB events calendar. 2. The guide will also be promoted in the NTB Holiday Guide and any other appropriate media. It will also be promoted via lineage ads in national press. The guide will also feature on the North Pennines AONB Partnership s website. 3. As with the 2003 guide, it will be distributed at OPAD in Holland, the Great Outdoors Show, various distribution days and agricultural shows within the area. 4. A distribution company will again be engaged to distribute the guide to areas from which a significant segment of visitors to the AONB originate. 5. It is intended to have the 2004 Guide produced by December 2003. 1. That the group contributes suggestions for inclusions in the guide - particularly the events section. 2. That the group offers further comment on the proposed promotion of the guide. Item 6 North Pennines AONB Geology Festival Lead Organisation: North Pennines AONB Partnership The establishment of a North Pennines Geology Festival tbc The North Pennines AONB Partnership, through the Marketing and Promotions Working Group, had previously been considering the possibility of re-establishing a North Pennines art based Festival. However, funding has proved very difficult to attract. A sub-group meeting was held in early August 2003 to discuss this issue which included representatives from the AONB Partnership, local authorities and Alston Moor Business Association Background 1. It has now been decided to capitalise on the North Pennines AONB s new designation as a European Geopark and to use Geology as the primary theme for a festival. Existing events will be tied in under the banner of the North Pennines AONB Geology Festival (Name yet to be finalised). New events will also be tied in to the festival to increase critical mass. A preliminary meeting has already been held with interested parties. 2

2. There is also the potential to link local products to the festival (where those products are compatible with purpose of designation of the AONB and the festival theme). 3. The festival will be held over a two-week period to cover the last weekend (Bank Holiday) in May. This will enable the festival to be promoted to schools and holidaymakers alike. RECOMMENDATION 1. That the group supports the aim to hold the festival in 2004. 2. The group comes forward with suggestions for events which they can hold and which can be promoted under the banner of the North Pennines AONB Geology Festival. Item 7 North Pennines Cyclist Welcome Lead Organisations: North Pennines AONB Partnership. Supporting improved infrastructure to benefit cycle tourism. 30,000 Cyclists Welcome, which seeks to provide a grant scheme to help accommodation providers and attractions in the North Pennines improve their welcome for cyclists, will operate in the Co.Durham part of the AONB between November 2003 and March 2004. Background 1 Previous meetings have heard of funding bids to support this project being submitted to Northumberland Strategic Partnership and Cumbria RDP have been unsuccessful. However, Durham County Council s Single Programme has funded the project, which will therefore only operate in the Durham part of the AONB an unsatisfactory outcome given the AONB wide approach of the AONB Partnership. 2 The scheme will provide a suggested maximum of 75% grant aid to help accommodation providers and attractions in the North Pennines improve their welcome for cyclists. (This could be used to support infrastructure such as bike racks or bike washing facilities) 3 The scheme will provide training and advice for businesses and attractions that wish to improve their welcome to cyclists. It will also help to market the area as cycling destination 1. The scheme will provide a suggested maximum of 75% grant aid to help accommodation providers and attractions in the North Pennines improve their welcome for cyclists. (This could be used to support infrastructure such as bike racks or bike washing facilities). 3

2. A mailing has been sent to 92 accommodation/hospitality providers in County Durham who are also either in or very close to the borders of the AONB. The mailing gave brief and general information about the scheme a follow up mailing will be sent out within the next month. 3. The AONB Partnership is still committed to delivering the project across the entire AONB when funding allows. 1. The group notes the success of the funding bid to Durham Single Programme and the progress to develop the project. 2. The group notes the desire to extend the project across the entire AONB. 3. That the group helps promote the project to accommodation providers in the relevant and applicable areas. Item 8 North Pennines Meat Marketing Lead Organisations North Pennines AONB Partnership. Investigation of potential for an added value meat branding scheme for the North Pennines AONB. tbc The AONB Partnership is trying to establish a piece of work which would investigate the potential for an added value meat marketing scheme or identify the role which the area might play in a wider initiative. The AONB Partnership will be working closely with DEFRA s RDS, Business Link and local farmers. Background 1. The AONB Partnership is trying to establish a piece of work which would investigate the potential for an added value meat marketing scheme or identify the role which the area might play in a wider initiative. The AONB Partnership is currently in the progress of establishing a small group of interested farmers who could act as the recipients of a Rural Enterprise Scheme grant. 2. The scheme would have high environmental criteria and enable the products to act as a signifier of local distinctiveness and the special qualities of the area. 3. It is proposed that the project would establish the nature and scale of the existing supply chain in the North Pennines and ensure contact with local retailers, farmers and caterers to ascertain those who might be willing to be involved in a local / regional product branding initiative and the kind of scheme in which they would participate. 4. The work should also look at the scale on which an operation of this kind might best work, including North Pennines wide, a smaller scale (e.g. Teesdale and Weardale where 4

local product branding is underway) or a larger regional initiative. The data would be gathered in such a way as to make the information from individual districts able to be looked at separately, which should also be of use to more locally focused work where this is planned. 5. A brief has been produced by the Marketing and Sustainable Tourism Officer and it is being considered by RDS in final draft form. RDS will provide guidance on securing ERDP funding and Business Link are supporting the Staff Unit in establishing a group of interested farmers. 1. The group notes the progress of the project. Item 9 Local Products Lead Organisations North Pennines AONB Partnership. Production of a Local products gazetteer for the North Pennines. tbc The Partnership is intending to produce a) a gazetteer to guide those business wishing to purchase local materials for use in their products (e.g. restaurants wishing to use local produce in their menus) and b) a local products directory to help visitors and local people buy locally produced goods and services. Background and Next Steps 1. This work has been held over until now due to pressure of other work and a need to establish the Countryside Agency and One North East s position regarding funding for this kind of work. 2. It has now been decided to undertake the work using the AONB Partnership funds associated with the Marketing and Sustainable Tourism Officer post to overcome these funding problems. 3. A gazetteer to guide those business wishing to purchase local materials for use in their products (e.g. restaurants wishing to use local produce in their menus) will be produced along with a local products directory to help visitors and local people buy locally produced goods and services. It is intended that these should be produced by spring 2004 with initial work beginning immediately. This will involve identification of those business and products which would eligible for inclusion. Some brief and transparent criteria will be established. 4. It is still the intention to develop a scheme similar to the Hadrian s Wall Market which will involve working with particular businesses to utilise a corner of their shop as a 'Local Market', where locally made goods are sold under an 'umbrella brand'. Each product will retain its own brand (and area if applicable) identity and is given extra 5

'push' through involvement in the Market. This gives local products a wider currency, by enabling them to be associated with the whole of the area. 1. The group notes the progress of the project. 2. That the group helps to promote the leaflet when it is produced. Item 10 Wake up to Wildlife Lead Organisation: North Pennines AONB Partnership Niche marketing of the North Pennines as a visitor attraction, meeting visitor need and making a link between conservation of a high quality environment and benefit to the local economy. Up to 4,000 in 2003/04 This project involves an added-value promotion of accommodation providers within the AONB who are doing something positive for wildlife conservation i.e. who are in the upper tier of the ESA, in Countryside Stewardship scheme or doing something else positive for wildlife. There are both environmental and quality criteria for entry into the project. A pilot leaflet with 8 farms has now been produced and will be distributed to all TICS within 1.5 2 hour drive time. The Rural Development Service is also involved in the project and is keen to continue it s involvement. Project Details 1. The work seeks to make the link between the conservation of a high quality environment and the potential economic benefits this may bring to the North Pennines. Wake up to Wildlife will bring together people who want to stay on a truly wildlife friendly farm and the farmers who can make this possible. 2. Staying on a Wake up to Wildlife farm will bring visitors closer to the special birds, plants and animals of the North Pennines. The people who visitors will meet on these farms are passionate about wildlife and the countryside and will help them to make the most of their visit to this wild and special part of England. 3. In future years, the AONB Partnership intends to work closely with DEFRA on this project, through the Rural Development Service. RDS will be able target funding towards those farmers who wish to be included in this scheme but who may need to upgrade their accommodation to meet the rating requirements of the scheme, or get more involved in the necessary wildlife conservation measures. 4. The leaflet will be promoted using posters for TIC A boards (within the AONB) and will be put on distribution with NPD. 6

RECOMMENDATION That group members note progress on this project and help to promote the project in their areas. Item 11 Countryside Exchange Lead Organisations North Pennines AONB Partnership. Production of report highlighting tourism & branding opportunities for Weardale. 8,000 A countryside exchange was held at the beginning of October. A group of British and American countryside professionals undertook a study to investigate the sustainable tourism opportunities which could arise in Weardale from the return of the Weardale railway. A report was produced (available on the website) and a public presentation was held. Background 1. The Countryside Exchange is an international programme which brings together teams of professionals to work with rural communities to help them address specific rural problems. This voluntary team is drawn from North America and Great Britain and is made up of experts in community planning, conservation and economic development who aim to help communities achieve economic well being whilst retaining their distinct rural culture. 2. A report covering tourism and branding issues has been produced which is available either by email or from the AONB s web site. The report has been widely circulated and a meeting will be held in the near future to discuss next steps. 3. The report concluded that branding & marketing opportunites existed for Weardale to create a single cohesive brand under the North Pennines umbrella and that Weardale could benefit by actively embracing the North Pennines AONB. 4. The team recommended that any marketing efforts concentrated on the day visitor market as accommodation stock was identified as an area with quality issues. 5. The day visitor market should be developed by capitalizing on niche markets such as nature, ecotourism etc. 1. The group notes the progress of the project. 7