Lots of Visitors for Tourism Weekend

Saturday 6th April, marking the final days of English Tourism Week, saw the Warwick Visitor Information Centre thronged with people.

The attractions were Unlocking Warwick’s Court House Tours, with two simultaneous tours required to cope with the numbers of guests, ‘Love Local’ Arts and Crafts on sale in the Visitor Centre, a pilates workshop in the ballroom, and the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum open for the morning, ahead of its official opening for the summer on Good Friday. And in the Market Place there were large numbers of visitors strolling around the special French Market with its wide range of fine food brought in from France.

Visitor Centre staff Liz and Victoria put on the orange sweat-shirts worn last year by the young Town Ambassadors, Harry and Grace, so that they could be easily found among the crowds looking at the craft fair. and using the Box Office. They intend to go out and about in town occasionally this year to guide visitors around. And the Town Ambassadors scheme will be repeated and expanded, with four young people helping visitors by giving out maps and directions during July and August, starting with the big ‘Pub in the Park’ event on July 5th-7th. So watch out for the orange tops around Warwick this summer, and say hello.

Here are some pictures from the day:

Liz and Victoria in the Town Ambassador Tops

Thirty people turned up for the first Court House Tour of the season. Some were local residents who wanted to know more about their home town, others were visiting from Banbury, York and even from Perth, Australia.

Karen and Paula led two groups round the inside and outside of the Grade-1 listed building, telling some of the history of the administration of Warwick since its founding by King Alfred the Great’s daughter in 914.

The tours begin in the Pageant Gardens behind the Court House

The original Mayor’s Parlour at the crossroads was damaged in the Great Fire of 1694

The Court House was built by architect Francis Smith in 1725

The Council Chamber with some of the town’s silver on show

Through the day, people arriving at the Visitor Information Centre with a dog were invited to try the ‘Doggy Day Out Trail’ which points owners to dog-friendly attractions and restaurants.

The Visitor Information Centre in the Jury Street Court House will be open seven days a week for the rest of the tourist season, and the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum will be open at weekends and on bank holidays from April 19th.

The next Court House Tour with guides from Unlocking Warwick will be on Easter Saturday, April 20th. There’s no need to book. Just turn up for an 11am start. The free tours last about 45 minutes.