Business News
Local attractions bring in the crowds
Footfall at West Midlands tourist attractions increased by six per cent in 2015 – the highest visitor growth in the UK, along with the East Midlands and South West – according to VisitEngland’s Annual Attraction Survey. The study also revealed that Mac Birmingham
(14th) and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (15th) were among the 20 most-visited free attractions in the country last year and the two most popular locations outside of London and the South East.
‘More people than ever are being drawn to the West Midlands’
The Mac Birmingham arts complex saw its numbers break through the million mark in 2015, with 1,028,371 people visiting. BMAG enjoyed a 31 per cent year-on-year
increase in visitors, attracting 909,935 people. Emma Gray, director of marketing and
communications at Visit Birmingham, said: “More people than ever are being drawn to the
Celebrations for promoted pair
Two employees at a Birmingham manufacturer have earned promotion after successfully completing National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). The pair are Kamila Kozlowska
and Tatiana Simkova, who work for Colop UK in Lower Essex Street, a manufacturer of rubber stamps, engraved and printed signs and badges, embossing presses and other associated marking products. Kamila was formerly QA manager
responsible for ISO9001 accreditation, but has made the step up to business analyst, and Tatiana has become production supervisor. Both have been participating in
the NVQ scheme since the company began its sponsorship three years ago. A total of seven staff are currently
on the programme, which involves study in their own time, as well as weekly study time alongside the support of a professional accredited NVQ trainer. Colop UK managing director
Kiran Mistry said: “I have always believed in vocational training and I was very pleased to be able to see both Kamila and Tatiana rewarded for their hard work. As an employer we always try to encourage the betterment of our team, and of course as a business, we also get to enjoy the reward of having increased skills-based competency in our company.”
18 CHAMBERLINK October 2016
L-R: Louise McCathie, Director of Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital; Michelle McLoughlin, Chief Nursing Officer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital; and Sally-Ann Wilkinson, Director at Wild in Art
Sleuthing for Brum’s bears
More than 100 giant bear sculptures will be leaving their paw prints all over Birmingham next summer, as the city gets set to be known as Bear-mingham. Following the flying success of
The Big Hoot, Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity and creative producers Wild in Art have announced that a second trail is planned for summer 2017. The Big Sleuth will see the individually designed, 165cm tall, sculptures appearing throughout
the city, inspiring residents and tourists to uncover Birmingham’s cultural gems and discover areas of the city they may not have explored before. The sun bear, also known as the
honey bear, has been chosen because it is the smallest of the world’s eight bear species. Funded by corporates from
around the region, the sculptures will be brought to life by regional and national artists to create the visually stunning trail of art.
Previous Big Hoot sponsors are
already getting their claws into the project, with additional businesses also being sought to ensure The Big Sleuth goes off with a roar. The hospital charity intends that
The Big Sleuth will be bigger and better than its predecessor, but needs the support of local companies to take up a sponsorship packages to allow the trail to cover as many of Birmingham’s ‘B’ postcode as possible. Packages start from £6,000.
West Midlands to discover what the area’s many tourist attractions have to offer them. “Whether it’s heritage, cultural, sporting or
family venues, this latest VisitEngland report is further proof that the region is becoming an increasingly popular choice for visitors. “It echoes our own data, which shows that
Birmingham has enjoyed a 17 per cent increase in tourists since 2010, resulting in an overall visitor economy worth £6.2 billion last year.” Dorothy Wilson, chief executive and artistic
director of Mac Birmingham, added: “When we reopened to the public six years ago, our intention was to make art as open and accessible to as many people as possible, especially operating in one of Europe’s youngest and most diverse cities.” Meanwhile, Drayton Manor Theme Park in
Staffordshire was the 10th most-visited ‘paid for’ attraction in 2015 with 1,210,141 visitors - a 14 per cent increase on the previous year. The Tower of London remained at number
one, followed by Westminster Abbey and Kew Gardens.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
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