Tag: hospitality

COVID-19 crisis devastates Scotland’s visitor attractions

  • New figures show visitor numbers slumped 34 million in 2020, a fall of 63.2%
  • Continued restrictions mean many attractions cannot reopen fully, a survey reveals
  • Staycationers urged to support Scotland’s visitor attractions this summer

New figures have revealed the full impact of the COVID-19 crisis on Scotland’s visitor attractions.

Overall visitor numbers slumped by almost 34 million in 2020, a fall of 63.2%, with 153 sites closed for the full 12 months, according to data from the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Edinburgh Castle – Scotland’s busiest paid-for attraction in 2019 – saw visitor numbers drop by 87.2% with figures for Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, in Glasgow, and the National Museum of Scotland falling 85.8% and 79.9% respectively.

Data from the Moffat Centre’s Scottish Visitor Attraction Monitor 2020 shows attractions with large outdoor areas outperformed museums/art galleries and castles.

Edinburgh Zoo was Scotland’s busiest paid-for site last year, attracting 292,631 visitors, a drop of 46.4% on the previous 12 months. Culloden Visitor Centre attracted 182,496 visitors as it recorded battlefield-only visits for the first time and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh was the most popular free site with 452,479 visits.

The Scottish Visitor Attraction Monitor shows the overall number of visits dropped from 53,722,691 in 2019 to 19,785,282, across 638 sites.

Professor John Lennon, Director of the Moffat Centre at GCU, said: “The impact of COVID-19 was felt across all aspects of the Scottish visitor attractions sector as travel was restricted, the international market collapsed and the wider economy was impacted.

“Attractions are an essential element of the Scottish visitor experience. With international tourism unlikely to return until well into 2022, domestic visitors will provide the sole source of income. Their custom will be vital going forward.”

Two-thirds of attractions reopening last week expect to operate with either reduced hours, some facilities closed, or at weekends-only, to keep costs down, according to a survey of operators, carried out by the Moffat Centre in partnership with The Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA).

The survey, conducted in April, revealed that one in eight sites will remain closed for all of 2021 without a further easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Industry leaders are now warning many smaller attractions are at risk of closing for good without ongoing financial support from the UK and Scottish Governments.

Gordon Morrison, ASVA Chief Executive, said: “​Whilst the majority of attractions are reopening from this week onward, it’s extremely concerning that so many sites feel it’s not viable for them to open fully, or even at all this year, due to continuing restrictions.

“Our last survey in March revealed the continuation of 2m physical distancing means 54% of attractions are either forced to remain closed or will lose money when they do reopen. Those findings, combined with our April survey, highlight just how vulnerable the attractions sector is and how incredibly challenging its economic recovery will be.

“Now more than ever, this important sector of our country’s £11bn tourism industry not only needs continued government support to survive and thrive but also needs the public to get behind it.

“Visitors can expect the warmest of welcomes and be assured that the highest standards of safety protocols – praised by the Scottish Government as exemplary – have been put in place across the sector for their benefit. 

“And with sites predicted to be at least 30% less busy this year due to the fact that there will be significantly fewer international visitors, those from Scotland and the rest of the UK can take advantage of a rare opportunity to experience our world-class attractions and all that they offer in a uniquely enjoyable, memorable way.”

TOP 10 PAID ADMISSION ATTRACTIONS

Attraction20202019% 20/19 17/16
Edinburgh Zoo292,631545,562-46.4%
Edinburgh Castle276,9502,167,366-87.2%
Culloden Visitor Centre182,496209,011-12.7%
Edinburgh Bus Tours163,429614,928-73.4%
Glenfinnan Monument162,536462,235-64.8%
Culzean Castle and Country Park128,328333,965-61.6%
Crathes Castle103,209153,217-32.6%
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum88,976261,283-65.9%
Stirling Castle79,000609,698-87.0%
The Royal Yacht Britannia67,734357,271-81.0%

TOP 10 FREE ADMISSION ATTRACTIONS

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh452,479991,479-54.4%
National Museum of Scotland445,2172,210,114-79.9%
Greyfriars Kirkyard322,3171,273,113-74.7%
Scottish National Gallery304,5601,583,231-80.8%
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum259,9781,832,097-85.8%
Riverside Museum246,9331,364,739-81.9%
Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop159,304772,448-79.4%
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art148,204508,090-70.8%
National War Museum124,327805,934-84.6%
Gallery of Modern Art96,391576,689-83.3

*Top 10 Free Admission attractions table does not include Country Park Attractions

Note: The vast majority of attractions closed down between the 13th and 23rd of March 2020 due to the shutdown caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19).

From the w/c 29th June 2020 visitor attractions such as Gardens and Wildlife/Animal were permitted to reopen, however, it should be noted that many did not open until the 1st of July 2020 (or later).

The W/C 15 July 2020 saw a further relaxing of the coronavirus measures, which permitted more visitors attractions, including most indoor attractions, to reopen.

The introduction of the Scottish Government Strategic Framework in October presented more challenges

Hospitality: social distancing guidance clarified

Updated guidance on physical distancing measures has been updated and was confirmed yesterday, says The Scottish Licensed Trade Association. This guidance includes information on calculating physical distancing capacity in public settings.

Some of the new elements of this guidance are effective from 17 May 2021, but operators should read the guidance and take the appropriate steps as soon as possible.

Information on the updated guidance can be found here.

Preparing for a safe and successful summer in the Capital

As Edinburgh prepares for the gradual lifting of lockdown, Council Leaders are looking forward to a safe, sustainable reopening of the economy, and many of the city’s health and leisure venues.

From tomorrow (Monday 26 April), hospitality, non-essential retail and gyms, including Edinburgh Leisure centres, can reopen, with restrictions in place. Leaders have wished businesses and operators well as they get ready to open their doors.

Their comments follow the launch of Forever Edinburgh – The Story Never Ends, a joint campaign between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG) and VisitScotland. This encourages people to rediscover the city, its stories and places while supporting local businesses, promoting attractions, shops, bars and restaurants as lockdown eases.

Amongst other restrictions being eased, libraries and galleries will be able to resume services, and in Edinburgh, plans are being drawn up for the phased reopening of libraries and cultural venues over the coming weeks.

Councillor Adam McVey and Councillor Cammy Day also encouraged people to continue following the rules in place, and to take care of their local parks and greenspaces this weekend.

“Council Leader Adam McVey said: “The sun is shining, there’s a good weather forecast for the weekend and we have much to be hopeful about. As we approach 26 April, when COVID restrictions on many businesses will be eased for the first time since Boxing Day, cafes, restaurants, shops and gyms across the city will be making their final preparations.

“We’re doing everything we can to support them, whether that’s our licensing officers working to provide advice and guidance or with partners through our City’s Forever Edinburgh campaign, which is inspiring people to enjoy all the Capital has to offer.

“We’re also gearing up to welcome people back to our libraries and cultural venues in the coming weeks, places I know many people have sorely missed, and we’ll soon be publishing plans to open their doors again, starting with the Central Library (above).

“Edinburgh Leisure will be reopening their leisure centres and swimming pools from Monday too, and I know a huge number of people are looking forward to getting back to their local facilities.

“We’re all excited about a sense of normality being returned, as well as the chance to socialise with friends and family in the sun. Let’s enjoy the weekend responsibly, continuing to stick to the rules and taking care of our outdoor spaces, keeping COVID cases low, preserving our beautiful green spaces and helping Edinburgh to recover safely.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Together we’ve endured an extremely difficult year, responding to changing restrictions and strict lockdowns which have been immensely challenging to our mental health and, for many, their financial situation.

“I want to take this opportunity to recognise the sacrifices and adjustments made by the many businesses across Edinburgh during this time, and to wish them well as they get ready to reopen on Monday.

“Thanks also to our residents, who have worked so hard to observe the guidance in place, helping to limit the spread of this virus – their efforts have been a crucial factor in our ability to gradually lift restrictions.

“We know what an impact the changes we’ve experienced have had on people’s quality of life, so I hope that the forthcoming reopening of libraries, cultural venues and, from next week, Edinburgh Leisure venues and gyms around the city, will provide a much-needed boost.

Find out more about Council services and support on offer during the COVID-19 pandemic online.

St James Quarter and FUSE launch free training academy for job seekers

FUSE aims to help inspire the next generation of retail and hospitality

Future leaders of retail and hospitality can broaden their skills and knowledge as St James Quarter and FUSE team up to create their first ever virtual training academy – open to anyone currently out of work or looking for a job in retail and hospitality.

Throughout May, The FUSE Academy will host the top names in retail and hospitality, who will share the secrets of carving out a successful career in the industry. Each inspiring and informative session is free to attend and will give expert insight as well as providing valuable training tips for interviewing and creating the perfect CV.

Working with partners across Edinburgh, St James Quarter launched FUSE to provide a high-quality recruitment and training service for the 3,000 jobs it will bring to Scotland when its doors open in June. As well as finding the suitable candidates for each role, FUSE focuses on developing careers by offering training and providing people with opportunities to achieve accredited qualifications. 

St James Quarter Managing Director Nick Peel (above) and Retail Director Gill Moore (below) will kick off the virtual FUSE Academy with an inspiring and in-depth look at their careers and previous roles, which include senior positions at Arsenal Football Club, Rangers Football Club and Harvey Nichols Middle East.

FUSE Manager Calum Nicol, who will co-host the CV workshop session, said: “FUSE is about more than filling roles, it’s about finding the right job for the right person and allowing people to carve out successful careers.

“At FUSE we pride ourselves on helping job seekers not only find work but expand their career prospects by connecting them to courses and accredited qualifications. The FUSE Academy is the perfect way to discover career opportunities and expand your own skillset by learning from some of the biggest names in Scottish retail and hospitality.”

As well as featuring speakers from FUSE and Fair Start Scotland, The FUSE Academy will also welcome experts from some of the biggest brands opening at St James Quarter, including Bross Bagels, Bonnie and Wild and the PVH Group, who represent Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.

St James Quarter Marketing and Brand Director, Rochelle Burgess, who will be part of The FUSE Academy’s Expert Panel discussion, is delighted to be involved in the virtual training sessions.

She said: “As someone who started out working on the shopfloor, I am so pleased to be able to share my experiences from my career so far.

“There is a common misconception that there are limited career opportunities within retail and hospitality, but The FUSE Academy will dispel those myths, while allowing those who attend to gain valuable CV and interview skills.

“The jobs that St James Quarter brings will have a positive impact on Edinburgh and could also be the first step in a new career for someone, that legacy is something that really excites me.”

The FUSE Academy begins on 6 May, with each 45-minute session covering a different topic each Thursday, throughout the month.

To register, please visit www.edinburghfuse.com/events

The FUSE Academy schedule:

Thursday, 6 May Session One: My Career in Retail – registration

Thursday, 13 May Session Two: CV Workshop – registration

Thursday, 20 May Session Three: Interview Masterclass – registration

Thursday, 27 May Session Four: Expert Brand Panel – registration

Edinburgh’s stories to be placed centre stage in new campaign

What stories might Edinburgh’s picturesque streets, historic buildings and beautiful outdoor spaces tell us if they could speak? This is a question set to be answered by the City’s exciting new marketing campaign: ‘Forever Edinburgh – The Story Never Ends’.

Delivered jointly by the City of Edinburgh Council, ETAG and VisitScotland, the campaign will bring to life the Capital’s dynamic stories and the unique experiences to be had around every corner in the city. The campaign promotes the city’s fabulous attractions, shops, bars and restaurants at a time when lockdown is easing, allowing people greater freedom to travel, meet up and spend time together once again.

Alongside showcasing all that the city has to offer, both in the centre and its eclectic neighbourhoods, the campaign will also shine a light on Edinburgh’s abundance of outdoor spaces, including coastal and waterway locations, and support the recovery of regions surrounding the city. The aim is to show how versatile the city we love to live in is and how it delivers a fantastic visitor experience throughout the year.

Over the next six to twelve months, the campaign will feature a series of summer and winter-themed films that will bring Edinburgh’s fascinating stories to life, from its fantastic folklore and magical myths to its historic shores and waters.

It will tell stories from beyond the grave and take a look at Edinburgh’s tasty past and present. Themed itineraries will invite citizens and visitors to explore undiscovered parts of Edinburgh, with more exciting chapters still to be revealed.

The campaign will also include inspiring imagery and dedicated story-themed content and itineraries on Edinburgh.org. This will be supported by targeted social media promotion and collaboration with industry partners and tourism businesses to help them tell their own stories to their loyal fans and audiences.

The overall aim will be to position Edinburgh as the top UK city break destination among domestic overnight visitors across Scotland and England as it emerges from lockdown, while encouraging citizens to engage more with Edinburgh’s cultural offer.   

We want to encourage businesses and residents to get behind the campaign by sharing their own stories of Edinburgh using #ForeverEdinburgh, to inspire their friends and fellow citizens and help them plan their next outing in Scotland’s capital city.

Councillor Adam McVey, City of Edinburgh Council Leader, said: “Forever Edinburgh – The Story Never Ends’ is designed to inspire people to get out and about safely and confidently as they seek out old favourites and discover new ones – creating memories that will last a lifetime. All the while supporting our vibrant local businesses as Edinburgh gets back to its fabulous self.

“This campaign puts our people, place and environment at its heart and mirrors our longer-term tourism strategy, approved just before the pandemic took hold. We’re sticking with our long-term goals and have mapped out a sustainable way forward for our tourism sector which Edinburgh’s residents asked for. Ultimately, we need a Team Edinburgh approach to deliver on those aspirations. 

“So, I encourage our residents, our businesses from retail and hospitality and our tourism tourism sector to celebrate all that is great about our Capital by telling their own stories and bringing the beauty of our city and landscapes to life.  

“Our story is ever-changing and never-ending, and we want our residents and visitors to be a part of that too, helping support our local economy and our City’s fair, inclusive and sustainable recovery.

Donald Emslie, Chair of Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, said: “The reopening of the sector on 26th April is hugely welcome news and after the turmoil of the last year, it is vitally important that we support the recovery of our tourism and hospitality sector throughout the coming weeks and months.

“We are looking forward to encouraging residents and visitors to get out and about to experience the best our city has to offer and supporting our local businesses in the process.

“We will of-course be doing this in the face of strong competition from destinations right across the UK, all of whom will be working just as hard to attract visitors, particularly from UK and Scottish markets.

“We are therefore delighted to have been champions of the Forever Edinburgh initiative since last year. Chairing the Forever Edinburgh Working Group over the last few months has ensured a true partnership approach which has been gratefully recognised by both VisitScotland and Scottish Government whose funding support has allowed us to develop a promotional platform that can work for all tourism and hospitality businesses across the city. 

“We’d like to invite everyone right across the city to get behind the campaign and to create and share their own stories with locals and visitors alike.”

Paula Ward, Regional Leadership Director at VisitScotland, said: “Edinburgh is Scotland’s tourism crown jewels and this exciting campaign will help to reinvigorate the city’s tourism sector as it recovers from the devastation left by the pandemic.

“It is the city’s stories and people that are the foundation of what makes Edinburgh a world-class visitor destination. Forever Edinburgh will not only showcase the experiences and businesses found across the city but will act as a springboard for the surrounding regions, with dedicated regional pages, spreading the benefits of tourism to the capital in a sustainable and responsible way.

“For tourism is a force for good – creating economic and social value in every corner of Scotland and enhancing the well-being of everyone who experiences it.”

The ‘Forever Edinburgh – The Story Never Ends’ campaign has been part funded by the Scottish Government’s Regional Recovery Fund and VisitScotland’s Market Readiness Fund.

It will build on last year’s successful launch of Forever Edinburgh – a city-wide collaboration of business from the tourism and hospitality sectors, alongside the Council and other partners, including VisitScotland, ETAG and Scottish Enterprise – and the #ShopHereThisYear, a year-long inspirational digital campaign, aimed at Edinburgh residents encouraging them to support local businesses in neighbourhoods across the city, which kicked off late last year. 

Tuesday’s lockdown easing measures do nothing for most pubs, says licensed trade body

The relaxation of lockdown measures announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday will do little to help the vast majority of Scotland’s pubs, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association has said.

In response to the announcement the SLTA reiterated its disappointment that Scotland’s bars, restaurants and cafés will still not be able to serve alcohol indoors until the licensed hospitality industry begins to reopens to some extent later next month.

SLTA managing director Colin Wilkinson said that while his organisation welcomed the announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to lift restrictions on travelling around Scotland and allow people to meet up in larger groups outdoors from Friday, it will do nothing to help the vast majority of licensed trade businesses.

“We appreciate the baby steps and the continuing need for caution but for most opening on April 26 will simply be unviable and that’s without taking into account the unpredictable Scottish weather,” he said. 

“Even many businesses with suitable facilities to serve people customers outdoors have decided to wait until May 17 when the industry will be able to open until 10.30pm indoors with alcohol permitted and, for outdoors, until 10pm.

“We are now urging the Scottish Government to consider loosening these restrictions to give our industry a fighting chance. England has reopened its hospitality industry so let’s fall into line with our colleagues south of the border.”

According to a recent industry report, only 22.9 per cent of licensed premises in Scotland have designated outdoors areas and many of these are small areas with only a few tables.

Mr Wilkinson added: “By our reckoning it will not be viable for about two-thirds of the licensed trade to reopen on April 26.”

He said that while eligible businesses may be entitled to one-off cash “restart grants” from local councils, Covid restrictions will continue into June and beyond, leading businesses further into debt.

Wilkinson added: “The typical small hospitality business has taken on between £60,000 and £90,000 in bank debt and deferred bills as of February this year just to survive Covid – and the debt is rising with every week of low or no income.”

Amy competes to be Scottish Chefs Young Chef of the Year

Edinburgh College Professional Cookery student Amy French is among eight competitors vying to be named Scottish Chefs Young Chef of the Year – with a cook-off taking place later this month.

Amy, who currently studies SVQ Level 6 Professional Cookery, was named as a finalist after impressing judges with a menu she created which incorporates skills and dishes learned during her College studies.

Amy, who is 19-years-old, will compete in a two-and-half hour event where she will deliver four servings of her three-course menu, in competition with seven other junior chefs from across Scotland.

The competition is scheduled to take place at West Lothian College on Tuesday 27 April – with government health and safety guidelines in place.

The winner will receive £250, a set of knives, work experience at a prestigious UK Michelin restaurant, two days butchery training and the Young Scottish Chef of the Year trophy, certificate and medal. Runners up will also receive cash prizes and a signed book from Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kitchin.

Amy’s menu comprises a salmon ceviche starter; a main course of a rack of lamb French trimmed by Amy and served with a pea custard, pea puree, pommes anna and a red wine jus; and a compressed choux pastry dessert with chocolate orange ganache.

Amy said: “I’m really excited to have been chosen to compete for Young Chef of the Year. I didn’t expect to be selected but now I am, I’m looking forward to the event.

“I’ve seen fellow students excel at competitions in the past and that spurred me on to take part myself to put my skills to the test but also to help me grow as a chef.

“There are some elements of my menu which I hadn’t done before, but I had been inspired by MasterChef and wanted to try new things and add them to my menu – the ceviche in particular was something I wanted to incorporate.

“I’m a little bit nervous but I have been practicing at home and working on things all the time – to make it the best it can be ahead of the big day.”

Edinburgh College Professional Cookery lecturer Keri Dewar said: “We’re delighted Amy has been selected as a finalist in this year’s Young Chef of the Year competition – we know Amy will do Edinburgh College proud.

“Amy is a very talented young chef who works hard and is eager to learn and develop all the time – that will stand her in good stead for the competition and also her career in Cookery and Hospitality. We all wish Amy the best of luck in the competition and can’t wait to see her in action.”

Auld Reekie waives the rules!

Capital hospitality prepares for lockdown easing

Following extensive lobbying by Essential Edinburgh, The City of Edinburgh Council is supporting the hospitality sector to help make the most of outdoor space safely in the city centre when lockdown restrictions ease in April.

Measures include waiving permit fees for tables and chairs, suspending kerbside parking to make room for additional outside seating until the end of the summer season, and closing two blocks of George Street for events.

Under the current roadmap for relaxing Covid measures in Scotland hospitality businesses will be able to operate within restricted hours from 26 April. Outdoor hospitality, with alcohol, will be permitted until 10pm, while food but can be served indoors, without alcohol, until an 8pm closing time.

From this date, outdoor socialising rules will also be relaxed so that a maximum of six adults from three households can meet up.

To help hospitality businesses recover more quickly, the Council has agreed that fees will be waived for outdoor area occupation permits until at least 30 September 2021.

This measure will apply across the city meaning all Edinburgh hospitality businesses are eligible, provided they apply for and obtain the relevant road occupation permit.  Where appropriate, kerbside parking charges will also be suspended to accommodate outdoor area occupation permits. 

In addition, the Council has been working very closely with Essential Edinburgh to help create more space for businesses to operate outdoors in the George Street / BID area, with proposals to close sections of George Street and reconfigure kerbside space, with kerbside parking suspended.

The proposals would see the sections from Charlotte Square to Castle Street and Castle Street to Frederick Street closed in their entirety (excepting disabled and emergency access, counter-terrorism measures, loading and cycle lanes) similar to past ‘event’ arrangements on the street such as the Edinburgh International Book Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) and the associated liaison with local businesses, Essential Edinburgh and the George Street Association, among other stakeholders, would be required to facilitate this event setting. If there is an appetite for these closures to go ahead, it’s anticipated they could be delivered within six to eight weeks of an initial TTRO application.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “It’s been an incredibly tough year for the hospitality sector so we’ve been listening carefully to what businesses need and doing whatever we can to help them recover as safely and sustainably as possible as things start to ease up restrictions-wise.

“We’ve been working really closely with Essential Edinburgh and other businesses and organisations to develop these proposals to help traders make the most of outdoor space and safely cater to as many people as possible over the brighter spring and summer months.

“It’s very important we strike the right balance, to make sure we’re not inadvertently making life more difficult for others. That’s why it’ll be key for Essential Edinburgh and other organisations to get the buy-in of affected businesses in the plans and discussions. That will ensure that interventions get as wide as possible support and benefit as many traders as possible.

“Throughout this crisis we’ve been doing as much as we can to support businesses in the city centre and right across the city so that we can help Edinburgh build back better. This work with the hospitality sector is the latest strand of that work and we’ll continue to work with all sectors to protect jobs and aid their recovery.”

Depute Council Leader Cammy Day said: “After such a long time staying at home, people will be champing at the bit to get out into the warmer weather and meet up safely with their friends and family again as restrictions start to relax later this month.

“Last summer we waived tables and chairs permit fees to help restaurants and bars make the most of outdoor space so we want to give the sector the same lift this time round too.

“Attracting more people to these outdoor hospitality areas will also boost footfall for surrounding retail businesses as they reopen their doors. People will look forward to planning a trip into town or to their local high street for a bite to eat and a browse round the shops, giving a much longed-for lift to our local traders.”

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh said: “We welcome the support that the Council are giving the city’s hospitality businesses both in the provision of outdoor space and the waiving of costs.

“It is imperative that we maximise the space available to allow hospitality to operate effectively as we adapt to the changing roadmap regulations.

“The Council has listened to the business community and is acting quickly, for which we are very appreciative.”

Supporting business and retaining jobs is a key priority for the Council as the pandemic continues. So far, the Council has administered more than £181.4 million in grants to over 19,000 businesses.

Wedding venue says “I do” thanks to innovative virtual tour tech

State-of-the-art 3D walkthrough allows brides-to-be to explore from home

A WEDDING venue had hi-tech help to survive lockdown, thanks to a Scottish virtual tour pioneer that is enabling desperate brides-to-be to “visit” the venue during the pandemic.

Newhall Estate in Carlops, Midlothian, is a hugely successful choice for couples tying the knot, but it faced a catastrophic loss of business when it had to turn away visits as a result of lockdown.

However, state-of-the-art virtual tours built on Matterport technology have brought betrothed couples flocking back – after experts cleverly adapted technology that is normally used to sell houses. It is believed to be the first wedding venue in Scotland to use the technology.

The project is one of the first successes for newly-launched 360 Virtual Studios, which is rolling out a suite of new products and services for galleries, museums, events spaces and retailers – aimed at helping them recover from the pandemic, which has hit those sectors disproportionately hard.

Jak Kennedy, Director at Newhall Estate, branded the technology “a gamechanger” and insists it will not only help them survive the pandemic, but will be an ongoing benefit long after lockdown lifts.

He added: “This technology has given couples the confidence to book our venue without seeing it in person and has been a crucial element helping to keep us afloat during the pandemic.

“It allows us to make best use of time because staff and customers no longer have to make multiple visits to check the layouts and measurements as it is all available in exact detail at any time online.

“Our interactive floor plan has been a game changer for couples organising sleeping arrangements for the main house and has helped people plan for guests with specific requirements.

“We have had extremely positive feedback from couples who have booked their wedding with us stating the technology is brilliant and has given them a sense of confidence by having the ability to view all of the main rooms at their discretion.

“We were not getting bookings in without individuals visiting the venue before, but thanks to the virtual tour and interactive floor plan people have been happy enough to book without seeing the venue in person. It is an absolutely invaluable tool that we will continue to use.

“Indeed, it’s likely that we’ll rely on it even more – not less – when lockdown finally lifts and our wedding season get into its full glory again.”

360 Virtual Studios is the brainchild of award-winning entrepreneur Michelle Milnes who already runs a highly successful property marketing business.

She said: “I was approached by a range of different organisations during lockdown 2020, from the arts, tourism and hospitality sectors. That was a very powerful message that our cutting-edge technology can help businesses far beyond the property market.

“It’s been a slow burn since 2014 building up awareness of what we can do. However, the pandemic has pulled the future forward and the public are now truly seeing the potential of the virtual tours in a way that might otherwise have taken five to 10 years to achieve.

“It is fantastic to hear how powerful this has been for Newhall Estate. We’ve proven beyond all doubt is that this technology does far more than showcasing properties for sale.

“This is just the beginning. On the strength of what we have achieved here, we have now launched 360 Virtual Studios aimed specifically at galleries, exhibition spaces, venues and specialist retailers. The potential is incredible.”

The firm’s 3D virtual tours are built on state-of-the-art camera equipment and software, from Matterport. This allows them to create detailed virtualisations of any setting, where a virtual visitor can take a hyper-realistic, self-guided 3D tour.

The visitor can take the tour wherever they choose at their own pace, while examining a high resolution, true-to-life rendition of the layout, furniture, fixtures and even the views from windows. Unlike a video or photographs 3D tours can be viewed from all angles.

The Newhall Estate virtual tour allows customers to get an accurate representation of main rooms in the venue with the additional benefit of being able to take specific measurements, which is useful for planning the layout of an event.

The Scottish baronial venue can accommodate 29 people, while three self-contained cottages offer rooms for 11 more.

In addition, interactive floorplans allow viewers to put the tours in context and orientate themselves around the venue. The tours themselves have the technology to show dimensions and detail.

Parent company Property Studios has 32 staff, turnover close to £1m and national contracts with 30 estate agents and 12 major homebuilders. Typical virtual property tours rack up 1000 visits within a few days.

Handiscover: 2 in 3 disabled people in Scotland say hotels do not meet accessibility needs


New European-wide research by Handiscover indicates that almost two thirds (62%) of disabled people in Scotland say that Hotels in which they have stayed have not met their accessibility needs.

Handiscover, a leading accessibility and disability data organisation, is now calling on the Hotel industry to prepare for a travel restart post-Covid adapted to all travellers, by improving their accessibility or accessibility information, something which is much needed, according to the survey.

Moreover, over half (52%) of those surveyed said that they did not have all accessibility information before they visited.

It’s thought that more than 14 million people in the UK live with a long term illness or disability requiring specific accessibility needs, highlighting the importance of this research for the hotel and hospitality industry.

Handiscover believes that if accessibility, accessibility information and greater training was in place across the travel industry, the EU economy could benefit by up to 25% against current level – that’s almost 196 Billion Euros.

To help businesses, Handiscover has now developed and released an industry leading ‘Accessibility Standard’ for Hotels which it provides free of charge to help hotels start working on their accessibility on their own.

Businesses needing help to improve accessibility can sign up for Handiscover’s Accessibility Management Program. The program includes accessibility data management and assessment, marketing expertise to help communicate accessibility to customers, and Accessibility & Disability Education to help the hotel industry recover in a post COVID world.

Magnus Berglund, Accessibility Director at Handiscover. said: “Improving accessibility in the hotel industry is not just a ‘nice’ thing to do, it is the ‘right’ thing to do and can generate huge increases in revenue for properties!

“The Handiscover Accessibility Management Program exists to help hotels, and other businesses, work with and improve accessibility in an easy way to the benefit of the day-to-day lives of millions of people who live with a disability.”

Sebastien Archambeaud CEO Handiscover added: “Ever since we launched Handiscover, our aim has simply been to use accessibility data to make booking accommodation easier for those with disabilities.

“We now want to take the knowledge and experience we have working with those with accessibility needs and help hotels and accommodation providers improve accessibility and knowledge.

“We want to let businesses know that improving accessibility is not a cost burden, but a means to actually improve business by catering to more customers”.

The research from Handiscover.com also revealed that 58% of the disabled population who required assistance say that staff at Hotels were not as knowledgeable about accessibility needs as they could have been – thus demonstrating the importance of accessibility training and education among staff, not just at hotels, but across industries.