East Midlands mayor reveals her ideal Nottinghamshire weekend at London billboard launch
East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward (Lab) has revealed how she’d spend a long weekend in Nottinghamshire as she launched a new advertising campaign promoting the region as a tourist destination.
Billboards and posters dubbing our region ‘The Centre Of It All’ have begun popping up all over London and the south east of the country in an attempt to persuade visitors to come to the East Midlands.
The 10-week campaign is forming part of the East Midlands Combined Authority (EMCCA)’s aim to drive up to £1bn in ‘long-term economic growth’ for the region by increasing visitor numbers and spending.
As well as the physical ads, the adverts may also be spotted on social media, in print and on television.
They promote Nottinghamshire as a ‘sports and culture’ destination with the aim to tempt one-day visitors to the City Ground or Trent Bridge, or to the city of Nottingham or Sherwood Forest, to stay overnight.
The Mayor said: “Lots of international visitors will come, do all the sights in London, then might go to the Cotswolds to see something pretty and in the country.
But they could quite easily come to see all of the history around Robin Hood.
“We need to lean into that more.
“People already do it, but we need more.
"And we need them to spend longer.
"We need them to come and not just visit for the day.
"We need them to stay overnight, enjoy our hotels, nightlife, restaurants and spend money.
“London remains one of the most visited cities in the world.
"We want international visitors or anyone in London or the south east to realise how easy it is to access us at the centre of it all.
"Get on the train at St Pancras and you’re with us in an hour-and-a-half.
"I want people to come, stay and spend their money.”
Asked how she’d spend a weekend in Nottinghamshire if she was a tourist, Ms Ward said she’d start with a meal in a town or village, such as Edwinstowe, on the Friday night.
On the Saturday morning, she said she’d visit Welbeck Abbey and its surrounding estate in the north of the county for breakfast, a trip to the farm shop and to the museum, before enjoying a walk in Sherwood Forest.
On Saturday night, she’d head into Nottingham for a theatre show and a meal, before completing the trip on Sunday with a stroll around Clumber Park.”