Stratford-upon-Avon has become to go-to central meeting point for UK tourists from all over the country as coronavirus restrictions have eased.
Staff from the town’s Visitor Information Centre have reported tourists visiting from Manchester, London, Yorkshire, and beyond.
Some have used Stratford as a meeting point between the north and south, where friends separated by long distance could meet and enjoy the town’s history and green spaces before heading back home in opposite directions.
Many have also taken advantage of the self-catering caravan sites on the Tiddington Road, allowing people to book a holiday in Stratford instead of going to the seaside.
Cllr Matt Jennings, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Tourism at Stratford District Council, said: “Although tourism is steady rather than booming at the moment, it’s encouraging that visitors are travelling from far away to visit Stratford at this early stage of lockdown recovery.
“We had initially thought that visitors would not want to travel too far to come here at this stage – we were expecting visitors from the West Midlands, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire, but not from much further away.
“It’s especially nice considering there are many places in the Midlands travellers could go if they wanted to meet halfway between the north and the south, but they’ve decided to choose Stratford.
“We think this bodes very well for the near future, especially if the vaccine rollout continues to be successful and COVID cases continue to fall.”
Although not everything in Stratford is open yet, river walks are proving popular, and tourists can still look at the key buildings in Shakespeare’s life and take photos.
Stratford’s Riverside and nearby green spaces also allow tourists to enjoy a little break away from the town to catch up at a social distance.
The Visitor Information Centre also has a comprehensive list of the restaurants, cafes and pubs that are open, with details of all their booking procedures.
Helen Peters, Chief Executive of Shakespeare’s England – the Destination Management Organisation for South Warwickshire and the surrounding areas is thrilled that the town and the region has become such a focal point for meeting up.
It comes as Shakespeare’s England has been running a campaign on social media using the hashtag #meetinthemiddle urging people to use Coventry and Warwickshire as a meeting point for family and friends to reconnect.
Helen said: “This is absolutely fantastic news that people up and down the country are using Stratford-upon-Avon and the rest of Coventry and Warwickshire as the place to come and get together.
“The tourism sector will be relying heavily on domestic tourism for a while, so it is pleasing to hear that people are making their way to our area.
“This is a great opportunity for Stratford and the surrounding areas to showcase what we have to offer when it comes to attractions and venues.
“There are many staycation options throughout Stratford and across the region so people who are meeting in the middle can actually stay and explore everything from our wonderful attractions to our beautiful walks and cycle routes.
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming more people into the area over the coming weeks and months to enjoy all the hospitality on offer.”