Town events pull in visitors

The tourism industry is booming in Southwell this summer, according to a group set up to encourage more visitors to the town.

Southwell Tourism Partnership organises events and encourages people to come to the area.

Mrs Beryl Prentice, a member of the partnership, said events were increasing the town’s popularity with visitors.

She said: “We have had a wide variety of things running in the last 18 months, from drama in the library to music in the minster and regular things like the folk festival and the family fun day.

“We have tried to do all the things we normally do and then throw in some extras.

“We are benefiting from better publicity and the fact that people are looking to things to do fairly close to home.”

Mrs Prentice said shops and businesses were seeing an increase in trade as a result.

“We have been told retail in the town is buoyant, which is excellent and is obviously one of the prime objectives of the tourism partnership,” she said.

“One of the main attractions is the variety of shops we have. We have got plenty of places to eat, groceries and places to buy food and lots of nice dress shops.”

Mrs Prentice said Southwell was becoming more of a destination town.

She said: “Before, people used to come for the minster, have a cup of tea, and go but now they still come for the minster but they extend their visit. It is lovely to see so many people in the town.”

Mrs Prentice hoped money would not be cut from tourism budget by Newark and Sherwood District Council.

She said: “We have got to keep people’s enthusiasm up. Tourism can be seen as a soft budget to cut.

“We know there are going to be cuts but I hope they realise tourism is an income generator.

“People think tourism doesn’t matter but it does and I hope people realise how big a part it plays.”

Mrs Prentice said the partnership — made up of the town council, The Workhouse, Southwell Racecourse and the minster — hoped to close King Street to traffic on Saturdays to enhance the shopping experience for residents and visitors.

Events planned for later in the year include the Bramley Apple Festival in October and the lantern parade in December.