It’s not only the flower beds which flourished at Tatton Park in 2008. The historic estate played an essential role in the phenomenal success of Cheshire’s Year of Gardens ’08.
Launched during Liverpool’s hosting of the European Capital of Culture, the programme aimed to raise the national and international profile of the county as the ‘home of England’s finest gardens’.
A recent independent evaluation commissioned by Visit Chester and Cheshire revealed the resounding success of Cheshire’s Year of Gardens, including beating the economic impact target of £15.1 million and getting 46,000 more visitors than the targeted 300,000.
Tatton Park’s contribution to the success of this year cannot be underestimated: One of Cheshire’s leading gardens of distinction, it hosted a number of the year’s highlight events and had a significant role from the outset in its organisation and development, working closely with ‘Visit Chester and Cheshire’, North West Development agency and Cheshire’s leading gardens.
In particular, Tatton presented a dynamic and critically acclaimed contemporary arts programme, its inaugural Tatton Park Biennial. Achieving 50% more visitors than its target (55% of these from outside the county), spend of over £20k of additional visitors to the Cheshire economy, and extensive press coverage, the Biennial contributed greatly to raising the profile of the county during this special year.
The Biennial won a number of critical plaudits, including its short-listing for both the prestigious Lever Prize and for a Museums and Heritage Award for Excellence. One artwork, Heather & Ivan Morison’s I am so sorry. Goodbye (Escape Vehicle No 4) was also selected by RSA Arts & Ecology Magazine as one of the world’s most inspiring artworks of the last twelve months.
The north’s only annual RHS Flower Show was hosted at Tatton Park for its 10th consecutive year in 2008. The ‘Celebrating Cheshire Year of Gardens O8’ show garden designed by Chris Beardshaw, won a number of fantastic awards. Tatton’s own garden exhibit won a 10th gold medal for Tatton’s gardening team, yet again raising the prestige of Cheshire’s gardens.
In the summer the Orchid Festival came to Tatton, presented by the North of England Orchid Society (founded over a century ago and the oldest orchid society in the world). The week long prestigious event attracted over 6,500 visitors from all over the country and international exhibitors.
In October the North West Food Lovers Festival, yet another flagship event of Cheshire’s Year of Gardens, brought 6,400 visitors to Tatton on one weekend. 71% of these visitors came from outside the county for this event alone!
In all, more than ¾ million visitors came to Tatton Park in 2008. Tatton Park and Visitor Economy Manager, Brendan Flanagan commented “2008 was a great launch for Cheshire’s Gardens of Distinction. Cheshire is justifiably famous for great and beautiful historic gardens such as Tatton, but 2008 was successful in bringing the wealth of Cheshire’s gardens, large and small, to a wider audience”.
Note To Editors
Tatton Park is managed and financed by Cheshire East Council on behalf of the National Trust.
This impressive historic estate receives in the region of 750,000 visitors every year all of whom come to enjoy its Georgian Mansion, Tudor Old Hall, award winning Gardens and 1930s rare breeds farm. The 1,000 acre deer park is home to Red and Fallow deer and the estate also boasts speciality shops, adventure playground, restaurant and year-round events programme.
Tatton Park is one of Cheshire’s ‘Gardens of Distinction’ and played a leading role in ‘Cheshire’s Year of Gardens 08’. www.cheshiresgardens.com
Cheshire’s Year of Gardens
Cheshire’s Year of Gardens formed part of a groundbreaking initiative to unlock the tourism-boosting potential of 29 garden attractions in Cheshire.
It was developed by local tourism board, Visit Chester & Cheshire in partnership with Cheshire County Council, the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Rural Enterprise and Cheshire’s garden attractions.
It was one of the biggest initiatives ever undertaken to attract new visitors to our area, including those attending Liverpool’s Capital of Culture celebrations.
The programme featured a major programme of music, art, theatre, sport and food and drink events at major garden locations including Tatton Park, Lyme Park, Arley Hall and Gardens, Chester Zoo, Jodrell Bank, Ness Gardens, Cholmondeley Castle Gardens and Norton Priory.
Cheshire’s Year of Gardens 08 initiative was directed by a steering group chaired by Felicity Goodey CBE, a former BBC journalist who is also who is also Lifelong President of the Lowry Trustees. Brendan Flanagan, general Manager Tatton Park chaired the organising ‘operations group’ and was Deputy Chairman of the Steering Group.
For further information contact:
Eleanor Pownall
Marketing Department
Tel: 01625 374447
Fax: 01625 374403
Email: eleanor.pownall@cheshireeast.gov.uk
