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Nottinghamshire stage of Tour of Britain brings £4.69 million boost to county’s economy

The Nottinghamshire stage of the Tour of Britain cycle race boosted the local economy by more than £4.6 million and attracted over 180,000 spectators.

An economic impact assessment commissioned by event organisers reveals that the showpiece cycle race generated £4.69m in net visitor expenditure for Nottinghamshire’s economy, with 182,500 fans lining the 170-kilometre route.

The world-famous event was held in Nottinghamshire for a fourth time since 2017, with stage four taking place from the iconic Sherwood Forest in Edwinstowe and finishing at Newark on Wednesday 6 September.

Key highlights from the report show that in Robin Hood County:

• 62% of spectators came from ‘outside the local areas’ to watch the race;
• 87% of fans said they would visit the area again;
• An impressive 94% of visitors described the race as ‘very enjoyable’;
• 53% of people said the race has inspired them to cycle more;
• 15% of visitors stayed in the local area overnight;
• 42% of people came to watch the race with their families.

Figures also show that the average daily spend for day visitors per group was almost £60, while overnight visitors spent around £166.

Councillor Scott Carlton, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health, welcomed the report’s findings and said it once again showed that Nottinghamshire is a tourist destination which people want to visit and return to.

He said: “The figures really do speak for themselves and highlight the wider benefits of hosting an international sporting event of this magnitude and enjoying the opportunity to showcase everything our great county has to offer.

“We all know that this area is a fantastic place to live, work and visit, however it is always nice to hear this view supported by those who have never visited the county before.

“Nottinghamshire has always embraced the Tour of Britain and it was fantastic to see so many people line the route to watch the race as it passed through their towns and villages.

“It may seem a distant memory now, but the weather gods were certainly shining us and helped to make it a day we shall remember for a very long time in addition to providing a real boost for our plans to make the county an even better tourism destination.

“Of course, as well as the significant financial benefits, the legacy of hosting an international event like this also has a positive social impact with more people inspired to take up cycling and become physically active – which should always be welcomed.”

Councillor Paul Peacock, Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, was delighted to see the event in his District, saying: “Welcoming the Tour to our district is always a great honour, but last year’s event was particularly special.

“The race started in my own ward, Edwinstowe, and then finished in Newark. It took in so many villages and towns as well. All our communities really embraced the event, with some very creative land art and decorations.

“It was a very special day for Newark and Sherwood. To then see the positive impact the event had, in terms of bringing new visitors and additional spend into the area, it is particularly gratifying.

“Newark and Sherwood has so much to offer visitors, I really hope that we will see more events like this to showcase our wonderful area.”

Councillor James Naish, Leader of Bassetlaw District Council, said: “I'm delighted that Bassetlaw was once again part of the Tour of Britain and contributed to what was an extremely successful and popular event across Nottinghamshire. 

 "There were several parts of the district that were on the Tour's route for the first time in 2023, meaning its positive economic impact has been experienced in new towns and villages which is great.

 “Our region has a proud history and a passion for cycling, as was shown by the number of spectators who lined the route and the dedicated volunteers who helped to make this world-class event happen. We will always give the Tour of Britain and all of the competitors, teams and visiting spectators a warm welcome, whenever it returns to the district.” 

Hollie Drake, RSPB Senior Site Manager for Sherwood Forest and Budby South Forest, said: “Hosting the stage start for the Tour was a huge honour for us at Sherwood and it generated a real buzz on the day.

“It was a great partnership effort to bring the Tour to Sherwood and certainly demonstrated our capacity to help deliver major events in Nottinghamshire.

“While Sherwood Forest is already known across the world, holding a high-profile sporting spectacle here was undoubtedly a fantastic opportunity for this corner of the county to reach an even broader worldwide audience.” 

Last year’s race was broadcast live in the UK each day on ITV4, with viewers in more than 100 countries around the world watching the event via Discovery Player and GCN+.