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Monday 23 December 2013

"Tourism rises" ... but questions remain for Sidmouth

Sidmouth has been doing very well of late:

Tourism rises

Friday, December 20, 2013

THE number of tourists who visited Sidmouth in the summer looks to be 'slightly up' on last year, despite a slow start to the season. Sidmouth Information Centre manager Jeff Bailey told town councillors that cold weather initially meant for a slow showing when it came to holidaymakers.

Accommodation providers reported poor figures up until early June - when the sunshine brought with it a welcome boost. A new people counter at the centre in ham Lane clocked a summer peak of 1.629 visitors in the first week of August - during Folk Week. The next two weeks were more than 1,600

Home - Sidmouth Herald 
www.sidmouth.gov.uk/PDFs/Tourism_Agendas/Agenda TSM-091213.pdf

And this is after a shaky start to the year:
Tourism fights to reverse decline as industry hits 'tipping point' | Western Morning News

The tourist industry is clearly important for Sidmouth and the Westcountry: 
New Sidmouth tourism guide launched - News - Sidmouth Herald 
South West businesses in record tourism year - News - Sidmouth Herald 
Tourism awards leave judges spoilt for choice | This is Cornwall Farmers and rural businesses CAP off year with good news | Blog

The Westcountry has among the heaviest reliance on the industry in the UK, with 8% of jobs in Torbay, East Devon and West Devon – and 7% in Cornwall – tourism-related, more than double the national average.

Tourism boom ahead - once region recovers | Western Morning News


We do need to ask the question 'What sort of tourist does Sidmouth want?'

Interesting prediction in this recent article from the Western Morning News. It begs the question, “What sort of tourism brings long-term prosperity to an area like East Devon? ” . What do SIN-ners think?



‘Dementia aware’ is not damaging

Saturday, November 23, 2013 

As chair of the older people’s sub group, health and social care team for Seaton, Axminster and Sidmouth, I would like to make reference to your front page story “Let’s lose our God’s waiting room tag” (Herald, November 8).
It is admirable to encourage broader awareness training for all disabilities but I would like to respond to the comment of the council chairman suggesting that Sidmouth’s tourism may be damaged due to the town being ‘dementia friendly’.
Sidmouth is a beautiful and vibrant town and one which attracts tourism and younger families, but I do not believe that being ‘dementia-friendly’ would lead to a negative impact on visitor numbers.
Taking the opportunity to promote specific dementia-friendly initiatives would not have, in my opinion, a detrimental effect on tourism but could be very beneficial to the community of Sidmouth.
Andrew Stevens
Chair, Older People’s Sub Group
Health & Social Care Team for Seaton, 
Axminster and Sidmouth

‘Dementia aware’ is not damaging - Letters - Sidmouth Herald 
Futures Forum: Sidmouth: Dementia-friendly town... or 'God's waiting room'... 


‘Families unwelcome in Sidmouth’ says tourism worker

Monday, September 2, 2013

A mum, whose job is selling Sidmouth as a destination, says families are unwelcome after her ‘noisy’ children were reprimanded for playing in the sea.
Deborah, who actively promotes Sidmouth in her job at the Heart of Devon, was bringing her friend to the town for the first time when the incident happened.
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“Sidmouth clearly wants to attract large numbers of visitors, but some residents clearly object to having to ‘share’ their town with others,” she said.
Simon Pollentine, the town council’s member for tourism, said: “I can’t believe that that’s the biggest thing some people have to worry about – it’s unfortunate they can’t tolerate youngsters enjoying themselves.

‘Families unwelcome in Sidmouth’ says tourism worker - News - Sidmouth Herald 


And the question 'How should Sidmouth be branded?'


Sidmouth mans the barricades

By Clive Aslet  22 Oct 2012


Genteel? Hardly. The Devon resort is gripped by a dispute that is turning nasty, says Clive Aslet

We are in Sidmouth, a sweet-natured Regency town on the south Devon coast. Externally, nothing much would seem to have happened here since a hapless local youth, out sparrow-shooting, put a shot through the window of Woolbrook Cottage and nearly changed the course of British history: the future Queen Victoria, then a baby, was sleeping just below.
That wouldn't happen these days. There are no local youths. No, I exaggerate: some, but residents tell the old joke about the Paddington porter who shouts: "Weymouth for the Continent, Sidmouth for the incontinent." As the broadcaster Jeremy Vine, who goes to Sidmouth most summers with his in-laws, wrote in The Telegraph earlier this year, "There would never be a riot in Sidmouth." Don't bet on it, Jeremy. Sidmouth is angry.
Sidmouth mans the barricades - Telegraph


Drop ‘Regency Town’ tag urges Sidmouth campaigner

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 

Sidmouth’s ‘regency town’ tag is holding it back and should be dropped, according to the former chair of a group trying to create a vision for its future.

Robert Crick said constant references to the Regency Period in documents from East Devon District Council (EDDC) were giving a misleading impression of Sidmouth.
Mr Crick, a former chairman and member of Vision Group for Sidmouth, said in a talk at Wednesday’s monthly Chamber of Commerce breakfast there were a lot of other things to be proud of in the town.
He said there were 188 listed buildings within a kilometre of the seafront, and very few of them were built in the Regency Period.
He ended the talk by asking the assembled business men and women of the town if they had any ideas for a new tagline for Sidmouth, which accurately portrayed its features and what it wanted from the future.
Drop ‘Regency Town’ tag urges Sidmouth campaigner - News - Sidmouth Herald
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