Karen Perrow, Manager Dartmouth Visitor Centre
While many towns in Britain are losing their visitor centres due to declining funding and technological advances, Dartmouth’s award winning centre is going from strength to strength. Situated right in the heart of the town, it welcomes hundreds of tourists every week, has ambitious expansion plans and is about to improve its website and launch a new magazine for 2020. Manager Karen Perrow told our reporter Steph Woolvin the future looks bright...
Last year 74,000 people came through the doors of Dartmouth’s Visitor Centre, that’s around 26,000 more than the year before. They’ve created another entrance so you can gain access through the Royal Avenue Gardens and they’ve also picked up a gold at the Devon Tourism Awards. In fact things are going so well the centre is busy embarking on a £250,000 extension programme.
“We’re hoping to create a modern, fresh, bright ‘statement building’ which will catch everyone’s attention,” says Karen Perrow who has been in charge for just over two years. “The plans include an impressive glass façade so people can see into the centre and the roof will resemble a ship’s sail. Inside there will be an exhibition space for Mayflower 400, including the mini M400 replica ship currently under construction.”
Karen is excited about the project, which she says will really showcase the town’s rich history. “The plans are with South Hams Council at the moment. It’s early stages, but the response from the public has been very positive. We can’t stand still, we have to keep improving and updating.” She says if the project does go ahead they’ll start a rigorous fund raising campaign so building work can be completed in time for the Mayflower celebrations in 2020.
It hasn’t always been this positive for the centre; three years ago it faced closure due to a lack of money and confidence. “Dartmouth isn’t sheltered from the financial strains which have seen hundreds of visitor centres closing across Britain,” Karen explains. “It’s hard for everyone, money is tight and many public services are suffering. Numbers are dropping because so many people are using Smartphones, relying on digital technology to get their information rather than speaking face to face. But we weren’t going to give up that easily here in Dartmouth.”
Some crucial tactic talks were held during meetings with hotels, shops, attractions and councils. “Businesses supported with more advertising, the Town Council agreed to underwrite the centre and different merchandise was added to the shop. Staff and volunteers also worked hard to give the building a spruce up which has made a big difference, and two years on we have really moved forward and feel confident about the future.”
The centre will be instrumental in the Mayflower celebrations, giving information to visitors from around the world. They hope some of the town trails will start and finish at the centre so people can head out from there to learn about the pilgrim’s visit to the town in 1620. “We already have Mayflower merchandise in the shop - the postcards, key rings and T-shirts are selling well. It’s tricky as we don’t know quite how much more to order as no one knows just how many visitors will come for the celebrations next year. Any surplus tops and tea towels will be hard to sell after the event!”
A slice of more recent history which the centre likes to showcase is the Newcomen Engine, which continues to be a big hit with enthusiasts and visitors alike. It’s the oldest working model of the first atmospheric steam engine and was invented here in Dartmouth in 1712 by Thomas Newcomen.
“Our new second entrance leads straight into the engine room, it opens up that area, which was a little hidden away. We have improved the visitor experience with clearer information and a coin operated machine – if you put in a pound the engine will grind into motion for two minutes.” School children, scouts and guides come to visit the historic machine as well as members of the Newcomen Society, based at the Science Museum in London, who have the job of cleaning it (much to the relief of the volunteers).
A merry bunch of 12 dedicated volunteers keep the centre going. “They are the backbone of the whole organisation, we couldn’t do any of this without them,” Karen says happily. “They are mainly ladies who’re very knowledgeable about the local area. They love the town and want to promote it. I learn things from them!” The volunteers regularly go on trips to tourist attractions such as Sharpham, Greenway and the Babbacombe Model Village, partly for a jolly to boost staff morale, but also because they can learn more about the places they’re recommending back at base.
“We see a lot of European and American visitors, not so many Japanese (they seem to want to visit the big cities and don’t venture down as far as us). I’d like to try and put that right in the future,” Karen says thoughtfully.
“The most frequently asked questions are ‘where is the nearest toilet?’ and ‘how long can I park for?’ We also get a few odd enquiries, one man wanted to know where to get coal, then returned an hour later and said ‘I’ve got my coal, now I’d like a new violin string’!” A volunteer explained how she once had a couple who were a bit confused about the on street parking which says ‘No Return Within Two Hours’. “They thought they weren’t allowed to go back to their car for two hours! He said ‘what if we need to drop off some shopping or we want to go home after an hour?’! They were quite concerned about it!”
The team provides a cheery welcome to visitors (who’re often queuing at the door before they open!) and information on anything from bus times to accommodation options. The most popular merchandise items are the walking maps and trails. Karen says it’s also nice to see people still purchasing postcards:
“The old fashioned ‘wish you were here’ sentiments and the art of old fashioned postcard writing hasn’t died here in Dartmouth! Seagulls are also back in fashion. We have a few cuddly seagulls, which are good sellers; they are friendlier than the ones outside! The prosecco and gin & tonic flavoured rock also goes down well, one couple bought about 40 sticks to give out as wedding favours for their guests!” Karen says they enjoy selling the gifts and watching the coffers swell: “It’s nice to get outside help, but we are mainly self-funded and we have to be able to wash our own face. We can’t keep going cap-in-hand to people if we aren’t seen to be helping ourselves.”
Karen is always thinking of new ways to bring in advertising and support. She has recently been rejuvenating their Discover Dartmouth website and magazine. “In 2018 the website clocked-up 190,000 visits, an increase of four per cent on 2017. But we want to keep improving and have just started a new partnership with a successful local publishing company so you will see improved website access and a new magazine arriving in 2020.”
The Visitor Centre is open six days a week from 10 until 4.30 (they stay open longer during the school holidays). They say their information and gifts aren’t just for visitors, so why not pop in and have a browse?
First published in By The Dart magazine August 2019
