An edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ that this week looks at tourism in the region. It is said that tourism is now the region’s largest employer with 65,000 jobs being created bringing in £140 million a year to the Northeast. However, does the region have enough attractions such as Beamish Museum or Hadrian’s Wall to attract tourists in significant enough numbers and be able to compete with other nearby destinations such as York and Edinburgh? Title:...

An edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ that this week looks at tourism in the region. It is said that tourism is now the region’s largest employer with 65,000 jobs being created bringing in £140 million a year to the Northeast. However, does the region have enough attractions such as Beamish Museum or Hadrian’s Wall to attract tourists in significant enough numbers and be able to compete with other nearby destinations such as York and Edinburgh? Title: Tyne Tees Briefing In the Tyne Tees Television studio in Newcastle, presenter Ian Breach introduces this edition of ‘Briefing’ on the subject of tourism beginning with a film report by Kevin Rowntree starting in a place that has been able to seduce the tourist, the city of York. From the cities walls the towers of York Minster in the distance changing to exterior views of the magnificent gothic minster. A street sign pointing visitors to various attractions in the city changes to tourists walking along the Shambles, some looking in shop windows with the minster in the background. Above a building on the corner of High Petergate and Minster Gate a statue of Margaret Clitherow followed by a couple walk past along the city walls. The Bonding Warehouse and other buildings along the banks of the River Ouse changes to the Roman Column outside York Minster. From Clifford’s Tower a coach arrives driving past York Crown Court. Two still images features attractions inside the York Castle Museum changes to a school group arriving at the National Railway Museum. Inside visitors looking over the many locomotives on displays set up around a turntable. Back in the Shambles crowds walking past various shops changes to a traffic jam with vehicles trying to get through the city centre. A multi-story carpark at Coppergate and still images and leaflets relating to the soon to be opened Jorvik Viking Centre. Around Coppergate work continues in readiness for the museum to open the following Saturday, inside the lights come up to reveal the recreation of the cities Viking past as well as the archaeological dig which uncovered the site originally. Other part of the museum follows that include the sounds and smells of the past which all form part of the museum experience. Kevin Rowntree speaks with Anthony Gaynor, Managing Direct of the Jorvik Museum Trust asking him if it isn’t it too much like Disneyland? He explains that they have used some of their display techniques and goes onto says that people expect a lot more from a museum such as Jorvik, children especially want colour, sound and excitement. He talks about finding the £2.5 million needed to build the museum and his hopes on getting that money back. Back in the Shambles tourists continues to walk past the many shops and a man on a bicycle ride past the York Oratory with York Minister in the background. A map of the Northeast produced by the Northumbria Tourist Board focusing in on County Durham changes to the reflection of the towers of Durham Cathedral in the waters of the River Wear. A narrow-cobbled street in the city and a woman carrying bags walking past shops around Durham Marketplace. Back on the Wear Prebend Bridge crossing the river. A modern office block, in the corner a shop unit for the local ‘Tourist Information’ centre. Inside an interview with Durham Tourism Officer Martin Bolton about having to compete with York. The entrance to Durham Castle with the Norman castle nearby where visitors can stay changes to the specially cobbled pedestrian precinct along Elvet Bridge. Pedestrians walking along Saddler Street returning to Martin Bolton who is asked about the cost of pedestrianising a street like this which is the same as the Shambles in York. He believes is it a question of commitment and effort, getting the museums, hotels, shops and other related organisations to see tourism as a serious industry. If this can happen then the money will come from private investment stating ‘success breeds success’. With Martin talking about the city being attractive to the overseas market and the standards that are required, a montage of views around Durham including the cathedral and the Royal County Hotel on Old Elvet. Martin explains that he is grateful for places like Edinburgh and York as they attract the overseas visitor away from London with some stopping in places like Durham. Traffic crosses the Tyne Bridge into Newcastle changing to the Newcastle Quayside and other bridges crossing the River Tyne. An older man makes his way down into Monument Metro station on Grey Street. In the background Grey’s Monument followed by pedestrian walking past the nearby Theatre Royal. A still image of the regional rural landscape changes to a poster for ‘Those Dear Ladies’ [Dr Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda Bracket] playing at the Theatre Royal during early April 1984. Back in Durham the Durham Viaduct passing over streets of terraced housing with the cathedral in the distance. Returning to Martin Bolton he believes people shouldn’t be too sensitive to the ‘cloth cap’ image of the region which may put people off. He explains the Northeast has a reputation of being genuine, friendly and hospitable. The front page of a guidebook to ‘Beamish: The Greatest Northern Experience’. A still image of an aerial of the Beamish site changes to a road sign pointing towards the museum itself. At the entrance a temporary building being used as the museum shop and nearby a building with the words ‘Beamish Begins Here’ written across it. A panoramic view of the site featuring some of the nearby attractions such as Rowley Station in the distance. Standing beside the bandstand in Redman Park the Director of Beamish Frank Atkinson explains that they are limited only by their finances. Two-thirds of the museums running costs come from visitors, the remaining third comes from the four Northeast county councils. Without this local authority support the museum would be in trouble. Over a montage of railway rolling stock around Rowley Station Frank explains that the only way the museum could generate more income would be by charging more or getting more visitors. He goes into more detail about the importance of marketing, but again they are limited by how much they can spend. As he speaks a montage of views around the 1900 Town including Ravensworth Terrace and a display of goods in the windows of the Co-Operative store. At Home Farm historical agricultural equipment and livestock including cattle and pigs. In a sty a sow and her piglets followed by a montage of the farm with Frank Atkinson explaining his desire to employ more full-time staff. As he provides details of those who already work at the museum a building site for a recently acquired building changing to view of the pit village with its row of cottages and a replica of the steam engine Locomotion No.1 standing on the tracks near to the colliery winding engine house. Returning to Frank beside the bandstand he explains that the function of the museum is to preserve the heritage of the region, it just so happens that this is also good for tourism. In Northumberland a sign points towards Hadrian’s Wall some distance away along a rough hillside track. The wall itself passing through the landscape and another sign for Walltown Crags. A school party walks past following the line of the wall, in the distance a disused quarry which is hoped to be transformed into a tourist destination with Kevin Rowntree provides details and pages being shown from a promotional brochure for ‘The Walltown Project’. In a nearby field the foundations of an unexcavated Roman building changes to a woman walks along a path towards a visitor centre possibly at Vindolanda, a sign in the grass gives admission changes to the site. Inside a teacher and her class arrive speaking with the woman behind the counter, nearby a small museum where some of the items already discovered are on display. The school party sit on the floor in front of a statue of a Roman soldier doing their schoolwork. Standing beside a section of Hadrian’s Wall Robin Birley, the Director of the Vindolanda Trust, explains to Kevin Rowntree why he supports the Walltown Project and where the funding for it will come from. A road sign pointing towards sites along Hadrian’s Wall changes to a montage of Walltown Quarry with Robin Birley explaining why local authority involvement in commercial enterprises such as Walltown wouldn’t work. As a school party walks along and climbs over a section of Hadrian’s Wall, Robin explains why building a replica of the wall at Walltown is important as it is hard to visualise the actual size and scale of what it was like during the Roman period from what has survived today. He finishes by talking about the employment potential of the new attraction as well as the benefits it could bring to other sites in the area as well as the potential income generation for the local economy. Title: End of Part One Part Two Back in the Tyne Tees Television studio Ian Breach leads a discussion on the points raised in Kevin Rowntree’s report with Conal Gregory MP for York, Jack Dormand MP for Easington, Bill Cartwright Deputy Director of the Northumbria Tourist Board and Councillor Susan Bolam from Northumberland County Council. The discussion ends and Ian Breach provides details on the next edition of Briefing, a special investigation into medicine and medical practices in the region entitled ‘Just What Did the Doctor Order’. Credit: Presenter Ian Breach Reporter Kevin Rowntree Film Camera Eddie Crooks Film Sound Ian Richardson Film Editor Peter Telford Research Andrew Solomon, Lynne Petrie Political Editor John Sleight Film Directors Bernard Preston, Rob Cowley Director James Goldby Producer Bob Farnworth End title: Tyne Tees Colour. © Tyne Tees Television Ltd. MCMLXXXIV