Independent Survey Confirms That Worcester Is A Great Place

Only serving to confirm what residents of Worcester already know, an independent survey commissioned by the local council has confirmed that Worcester has been deemed to be a great city.

The city council approached Zeta Economics, a major research firm, to undertake a root-and-branch review of Worcester at a cost of £10,000, and what they came up with lifts a fascinating lid on where Worcester has been heading and what the key aims should be in the years ahead. It says the city is “moving in the right direction” and that since 2007, public spending of around £70 million has resulted in £370 million of private sector investment going in.

Worcester is just waiting to be discovered

The key features of the 89 page report are that –

- 5,941 new jobs have been created in Worcester since 1998, an excellent 13 per cent growth rate “unlike” other parts of the UK

- It has a “buoyant” shopping and leisure offer that outperforms even rival cities like York

- Comparisons with the likes of Exeter, Bath and Durham reveal how Worcester has done very well in attracting jobs, money and year-on-year improvements despite the economy

- The city should make far more of its canals and waterways, be bolder and model itself on the likes of Venice

- Worcester’s challenge now is to raise its ambitions, with assessors saying the city has been guilty of not shouting about itself more and “overlooking higher aspirations”

- The ‘quality of life’ is so high, it should be looking to attract more major employers, as living in Worcester would be preferable to London for many people

As a company that specialises in the tourism industry, we at Brit Breaks were interested to see what the report had to say about where Worcester is placed in the tourist stakes. The suggestions are that Worcester has been slightly underperforming, with a need to for greater self promotion.

Despite having “a rich history and architectural heritage” Worcester could be doing better, especially when compared to rival cities. There are 2.5 million visitors per year to Worcester, most of them from the UK, compared to York’s 3.9 million, despite the report’s assessors saying the Faithful City has a superb offer.  It says Birmingham and Cheltenham either side of Worcester are major markets for Irish tourists, but only “a very small number” spill over and come here.

In 2006, £23 million was spent by tourists in Worcester, but in 2011 it fell to £18 million, despite Worcester becoming more and more impressive.

It points out Worcester’s world-renowned assets like the Cathedral, The Hive, the cricket and rugby sides, the Royal Worcester Porcelain museum and The Commandery, coming to the conclusion that the city has a lot to boast about.  It says Worcester is not featuring anywhere near prominently enough on major web sites like Visit England, where it tends to be elbowed out the way by rivals like Bath and Cambridge.

It calls for a fresh focus on marketing the city as a UK-class destination for overseas people, suggesting the assets Worcester has are not in doubt, but it must shout about them louder.  It also hails the development of the new Premier Inns hotel at New Road, saying that could see a step-change in accommodation.

Robin Walker, Worcester’s MP said: “There are a number of challenges but we are getting better, particularly with hospitality.  If you look at how close we are to the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon, they get massive numbers of international visitors - there’s a huge opportunity there.”

Councillor Geoff Williams, city council deputy leader and cabinet member for economic prosperity, said: “The Zeta report indicates the city is well placed to take advantage of opportunities for economic growth. I welcome the report as a significant contribution to our ambitious plans to make Worcester a great city for all.”

                                                              Worcester Tourism Web Site