11 March 2019
It sounds a lot but we think, with the right focus, we could be doing even better – and persuading visitors to stay for longer.
We are fortunate to have some great locations - world-class sporting venues like Trent Bridge and the National Watersports Centre, breathtaking country parks at Rufford and Sherwood Forest, picturesque market towns and wonderful waterways such as the Beeston and Chesterfield canals.
Against this backdrop we have history to compare with anywhere in the UK – whether it be rebellions, religion or royal connections, the history of our county in the history of the country.
Of course the legend of Robin Hood will always figure prominently, but there are many more events which shaped our local and national history.
We even go back as far as the ice age, thanks to Cresswell Crags. And not many counties can claim to have formed a country! But that’s exactly what happened with the Pilgrims, led by William Brewster of Scrooby, who travelled across the Atlantic in 1620 on the Mayflower to settle in the new world, helping create what is now the United States of America.
The final, decisive acts of both the English Civil War and the Wars of the Roses happened here, with the capture of Charles I at Newark and the Battle of Stoke Field, respectively.
Mansfield was the location for the birth of the Quaker religion, while Jeremiah Brandreth, leader of the Pentrich Revolution – Britain’s last armed uprising – was from Sutton-in-Ashfield.
We have a fantastic story to tell. But we need to get better at telling it.
A new Visitor Economy Strategy was agreed by councillors this month. It details how we could better use our many assets and rich history with the aim of increasing visitor numbers by 20% by the end of the next decade, creating 2,900 jobs and an additional £240m for the local economy in the process.
Increasing visitor accommodation to support more overnight stays, better marketing and events and business support for the local tourism industry form part of our strategy.
And we will bring our amazing past to life using the technology of today.
You can download a copy of the new Visitor Economy Strategy on our website – www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk and I look forward to sharing more with you as our plans move forward.
In the meantime we'd love to hear more stories about little-known local history or unusual traditions in your part of Nottinghamshire so we can collate information for every part of the county. Please email our Heritage Tourism Officer laura.simpson@nottscc.gov.uk with details.
Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council
Councillor Kay Cutts, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council
