Carlisle Castle has been besieged by visitors since visitor attractions were able to re-open in England. English Heritage has reported that Carlisle Castle has been one of their busiest sites in the North.
Visits to the 900-year-old fortress must be booked online in order to manage of visitor numbers at the site. Most sessions have been selling out over the summer period. So much so that the staffing has been increased. Admission to Carlisle Castle now also includes entry to Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life, which is great value for money.
Staff at English Heritage have reported that the volume of visitors has largely been driven by the work of the Carlisle City Council Discover Carlisle team, who have led a campaign to boost consumer confidence and show what has been done to keep visitors safe.
Cllr Stephen Higgs, Carlisle City Council Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and Leisure said: “The Discover Carlisle team and colleagues at Carlisle City Council have done a tremendous job supporting the re-opening of the high street, hospitality sector and visitor economy. I am delighted with what they have achieved, and the effect this has had on the whole district. The city centre is being well used by visitors and locals.”
Paul Walker, Destination Manager at Carlisle City Council said: “This is fantastic news from English Heritage, and great news for our city. It shows that visitors feel that Carlisle is a safe place to visit. We are mindful that we mustn’t be complacent, and we will continue working with all sectors to make sure that all necessary safety measures are in place. Our campaign has successfully raised the profile of the district and all it has to offer.”
James Fell, Marketing Manager at English Heritage said: “We are really pleased with the work done to promote Carlisle as a destination and would like to thank the City Council for their leadership and hard work during the reopening process.
“This is a challenging time for the tourism sector and as a charity we rely on members and visitors as well as local organisations like the council, for support. So, it has been it has been heart-warming to see so many of our members and visitors coming back to Carlisle Castle since we re-opened in July. We have put into place new safety measures with an online ticketing system which has worked well and from last week we have managed to increase our visitor capacity which will allow more people to come in and experience all that Carlisle Castle has to offer.”
Discover Carlisle have produced a range of promotional and information videos to support the re-opening of the high street, the hospitality sector and the visitor economy. These are designed to complement the work of the wider council to boost the economy and support the high street post lock down.
The videos have been reached over 125,000 people. Carlisle city centre and Brampton town centre have both re-introduced local producers’ markets, and Carlisle hosted a very popular and successful international market over the summer Bank Holiday weekend.
