Become a member

If you are seeking more information about joining membership of Shropshire Hills Tourism or getting independent business or marketing advice and website and IT services, please contact Jodie.

By phone on 01743 261919 or email jstephen@shropshiretourism.co.uk

Shropshire Tourism (UK) Ltd
Grove House
8 St Julian's Friars
Shrewsbury
Shropshire, SY1 1XL

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SHROPSHIRE HILLS TOURISM AGM 2013

The Annual General Meeting of Shropshire Hills Tourism is to take place on Tuesday 14th May 2013 at the Craven Arms Community Centre.

Tea and coffee will be available from 10.30am with the meeting to start at 11am.

This year the AGM will feature a presentation on new marketing opportunities offered through the Walking with Offa Cooperation project, by Clare Fildes from the Shropshire Hills AONB team.

Papers are available to download below:

• AGM 2013 Agenda
• Minutes from 2012 AGM
• 2012 2013 Accounts

To confirm your attendance or to apologise for the AGM, please call me on 01743 261919 or email me at jstephen@shropshiretourism.co.uk by Friday 3rd May 2013.

We look forward to seeing you there.

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Winter Newsletter

Dear Members,

Global financial meltdown, Wintry weather looming, and Christmas arrangements to organise......busy and uncertain times ahead, but before we all get too depressed, lets remind ourselves that we are fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful areas in the Country "The Shropshire Hills", and for the most part get to choose how we spend our time. Most of us have enjoyed a good season for room bookings and bookings for next year are up on last year. So I would like us all wherever possible to look forward with a sense of optimism to the challenges that the year ahead will no doubt bring.

In celebration of our own recent Gold Award for Green Tourism Business Scheme here at the Longmynd Hotel, I would urge you all to support Local Businesses in your area. Trading on the High Street is tougher than ever, and our vibrant market towns need our custom more than ever.

Finally, I would like to wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous Christmas and New Year.

Your Chairman
Lee Chapman

New look for Shropshire Hills Tourism website

Cynthia & Lee have been hard at work with Shropshire Tourism, updating our website. The aim is to keep it fresh & bright & much more interactive – so there will be further enhancements. Please have a look by visiting www.visitsouthshropshire.co.uk. If you have any comments, Lee & Cynthia would be very pleased to hear from you on chairman@visitshropshirehills.co.uk

Click here to read the latest news from Ludlow and The Shropshire Hills

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July Newsletter

Letter from Lee Chapman Chairman of Shropshire Hills Tourism

"Welcome to our Summer Newsletter with news from the Shropshire Hills. I am pleased that we have enjoyed some Summer weather already, lets hope that it's a taster of more sunshine to come in July and August. I know from our business what a huge difference it makes both to bookings and peoples enjoyment of their stay. Please could I ask a representative from each Town Tourism Group to get in touch, we will be updating each Towns' entry on our new website in the next month and it's your chance to have your say. If you have a special event that you would like us to publicise in our next newsletter just let David or Kay know about it and we will spread the word amongst the members. Have a good summer!"

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Shropshire Hills Brochure for 2012... already!

Yarrington's have been selected to produce our brochure this year. Jane Cronin and Lee Chapman will be working hard with Phil Holden from the AONB to put together the information. We will be including new sections in the brochure for the first time. a section on Restaurants and cafes. Also a sub section of accommodation listings for camp sites and their facilities.

We will be retaining the same successful format and producing and distributing the same number as last year. There will be a dedicated website for advertisers to review their previous adverts and the convenience of on-line payment for renewals. We are very excited about the opportunities and the visitors will have more of an inclusive in-destination guide to accompany their stay in the Shropshire Hills.

Website update: Shropshire Tourism have now produced some exciting proposals for our Ludlow and The Shropshire Hills website, fresh modern looking, and Cynthia Prior, Lee Chapman and the team at Shropshire Tourism will be working hard on it in the next few months.

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Local Tourism Organisations

Its not just Shropshire Hills Tourism, that has been busy promoting the area - we are helped by many market towns tourism groups. Here are details about the Ludlow tourism Group, we'll feature other groups in future newsletters.

Ludlow Tourism Group - contact Tish Dockerty tish.dockerty@tdky.co.uk

Date of next meeting: 19th July at British Legion.

Ludlow Chamber of Trade and Commerce is a well established group made up of business folk who volunteer their time to make Ludlow a better place to do business. We meet monthly to consider local issues and to inform members of local initiatives which the Chamber support or manage themselves. By becoming a member you will receive regular updates via email about local business opportunities.

• An independent voice for the town's small business community.
• Production of the Ludlow Guide and Ludlow Town Map
• Coordination of the 'Ludlow Tourism Group'
• Development of the new online 'Ludlow Guide'
• Affiliation to Shropshire Chamber of Commerce which gives us a voice nationally.
• Sponsorship of many local community and business supporting initiatives

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Pod casts on the Shropshire Way and other ways of promoting Walking in Shropshire

Lots of recent activity in promoting walking in Shropshire - but your (and your customers) first stop should always be www.shropshirewalking.co.uk. It has details of all Shropshire's walks & all the latest news. There are even podcasts of various points on The Shropshire Way for customers to download, so that they can hear about the stories unique & histories of these special places as they walk around.

Read more to find out how Shropshire Council has been promoting walking, and how you can join in a free workshop to help you promote walking in the area to your customers from the Shropshire Hills AONB.

1.Tourism Strategy Board promotion of Walking in Shropshire

The Rural Development Programme for England 'Welcome to the Countryside' is in its third and final year. In early June a new promotion of walking in Shropshire was launched with an attractive mailer to 100,000 readers of Walk magazine, published by the Ramblers Association.  An upgrade of the website www.shropshirewalking.co.uk took place together with a targeted email and social media promotion undertaken by Shropshire Tourism.
Tim King, Visitor Economy Team, Shropshire Council

2. Shropshire Hills AONB are providing a series of FREE workshops for local tourism businesses to improve their offer to guests and visitors.

All local businesses are invited to a one day session on Shropshire Hills stories and information on walking to better promote your own business and the area to visitors. Provided by the 'Walking with Offa' LEADER project.

There are 2 sessions in October.

Clun - 19th October 10.30-3.30 (venue TBC)
Pontesbury - 20th October 10.30-3.30 (venue TBC)

The Shropshire Hills attracts many walkers on holiday and 80% of visitors go for a walk during their stays. Find out more about walking opportunities in your local area so you can help your guests explore on foot and encourage them to stay longer or return for more.

Familiarise yourself with local walks leaflets, maps and websites. Where are the long distance routes and when are the area’s many walking events? Find out about local walking groups and walk leaders.

Share and improve your knowledge about the landscape, heritage and wildlife that make walks in the Shropshire Hills so enjoyable. Who were Wild Edric and Jack Mytton? What are the stories behind the Devil’s Chair and Mitchell’s Fold? What are all those remains on Titterstone Clee and what’s important about the geology along Wenlock Edge? What wildlife should visitors keep an eye out for at what times of year?

Plus learn tips on how to promote walking in your marketing, how to suggest walks which take in local pubs, cafes and shops to boost local business and maybe even research routes from your own doorstep.

To book, please contact Jodie Griffith on 01588 674090 or jodie.griffith@shropshire.gov.uk

3.The Shropshire Hills and Ludlow Sustainable Tourism Strategy
This gives you all the details about the strategy, which is driving these new initiatives – essential reading!  Click here to read all about it

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Forthcoming events

Don't forget to let your visitors know about events (and walks) in our area. If you have an event you want to publicise in this newsletter - just let us know.

Church Stretton Arts Festival 24th July - 5 August www.strettonfestival.org.uk

Clun Carnival – August 6th

Scarecrow Sunday 31 July Brampton Bryan – village wide celebrations of scarecrows and a rare chance to see Brampton Bryan Castle

Walking with Offa the beaten track. Guided walk from The Crown Inn at Newcastle-on-Clun to Offa's Dyke on Sun 7th Aug with expert walks leader Cath Murphy and local historian Ian Bapty. £4 or £3 for Friends of the Shropshire Hills AONB. Price includes lunch at The Crown. Please contact Shropshire Hills AONB on 01588 674080 or SHAONBO@shropshire.gov.uk to book.

Magnalonga 14th August Ludlow.  Great walk – with local food stops. www.magnalonga.co.uk

Family 'Wild Whinberry' day on Tues 23rd Aug at Stiperstones with a picnic, story telling, cookery classes and a visit to a woodland pig farm. £15 for a family (2 adults, 3 children) which includes lunch, cookery classes and a whinberry pie to take home. Please contact Jodie Griffith at Shropshire Hills AONB on 01588 674090 or jodie.griffith@shropshire.gov.uk to book.

Bishop’s Castle Michaelmas Fair – September 17th – 18th
Steam & vintage vehicles along with street theatre, entertainers and music and market stalls throughout the town.  Tickets:  £5.00 per adult and £1 per child

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More good news for walkers

Bishop's Castle's Three Tuns Brewery has bought the Horseshoes Inn at Ratlinghope and is undertaking an extensive refurbishment programme prior to opening in late July. The Brewery has plans for new accommodation and further enhancements. The pub will be re-named The Bridges.

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Shropshire Hills Tourism committee meetings - your chance join in
- or to raise an issue you feel we need to tackle.

We meet every 2 months - half our meeting is devoted to running the practical aspects of Shropshire Hills Tourism, & the other half to keeping up to date with tourism developments & the work of the market towns. You are cordially invited to come along to our meetings.

Venue is usually The Cliffe Hotel, Ludlow. The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 13 September at 1 p.m.

If you would like to come along – please let Jodie Stephen know 01743 261919 jstephen@shropshiretourism.co.uk

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Contact us

If you have any queries about the work of Shropshire Hills Tourism - please feel free to contact us.

List of Current committee members, their own businesses & the role they play in  Shropshire Hills Tourism

Jodie Stephen – Membership Contact & Secretary – also works for Shropshire Tourism and is the main contact for members.
Contact: jstephen@shropshiretourism.co.uk

Lee Chapman -Long Mynd Hotel is Chairman for Shropshire Hills Tourism also works on the brochure & website
Contact Lee.Chapman@teddesley.co.uk

Alan Garner – Secret Hills Walking  organises press liaison for Shropshire Hills Tourism
Contact  info@secrethillswalking.co.uk

Cynthia Prior – Mocktree Barns Holiday cottages  works on Shropshire Hills Tourism website liaison
Contact mocktreebarns@care4free.net

David Palliser -  Bishops Castle Festivals & works on Shropshire Hills Tourism newsletter
Contact  d_palliser@hotmail.com

Jane Cronin – Sutton Court Farm and works on Shropshire Hills Brochure
Contact  suttoncourtfarm@hotmail.com

Kay Dartnell – Wheely Wonderful Cycling works on Shropshire Hills Tourism newsletter.
Contact info@wheelywonderfulcycling.co.uk

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May Newsletter

Letter from Lee Chapman Chairman of Shropshire Hills Tourism

"I was very pleased to welcome more than 30 members of Shropshire Hills Tourism to our AGM at the Ludlow Food Centre on 10th May. We were entertained and informed by presentations from Tim King from Shropshire Council, Jade Cancelliere from the National Trust and Ciaran Bradley from Shropshire Tourism who talked about Social Media - Facebook and Twitter.

I paid tribute to Anne Holland and Ian Kemsley both long serving members who are retiring from active duty on the board. We wish them well in their retirement.

We have had a busy year and we have worked hard to promote the interests of our members.

Shropshire Hills Tourism has worked promoting the new Occupancy Survey which is being conducted by the Research Solution on behalf of Shropshire Council. 

We produced 25,000 copies of 'Ludlow and the Shropshire Hills 2011' for distribution via our members, via the visitor information centres in Shropshire and 8000 were paid to be distributed across the Country by a specialist agency. For the first time this year we made it possible for retail and attractions businesses to advertise in our brochure to widen the appeal of the publication.

In partnership with Bridgnorth and District Tourist Association we produced 50,000 copies of "Shropshire Hills & Severn Valley Discovery Map". These are available to our members and also we have paid for them to be distributed within the County and the Borders.

We have paid £1150 from our funds towards the cost of Shropshire Hills AONB Events Guide 2011, which is an excellent publication and adds value to our members offer within the area.  We have also paid £1250 from our funds towards the cost of Bishops Castle Town Hall project, which is a massive project receiving funding from a number of agencies and our contribution has finally made the project viable.

We are now starting to work on improvements to our website and we have already had some offers of help with this, if you feel you could help us even in a small way please get in touch.

Have a good summer and let's keep our fingers crossed for some more Easter weather!"

Lee Chapman

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What does Shropshire Hills Tourism do?

Shropshire Hills Tourism is a not for profit company, with the sole aim of promoting tourism within Ludlow and The Shropshire Hills. We have 243 members and produce an annual brochure promoting South Shropshire & listing our members details.

This is complemented by our website www.visitshropshirehills.co.uk and by a range of other publications which are produced on a project basis e.g. The Explorers map.

We also support the work of the Market town tourism groups and the Visitor Information network.

As Shropshire Hills Tourism  represents 243 members, we keep a high profile on all the official bodies in Shropshire with an interest in promoting tourism – to make sure our voice is heard loud & clear.

We work with the AONB, who are involved in promoting the Shropshire hills - to produce the annual brochure & reduce duplication of our efforts.

We are helped in this work by Shropshire Tourism , who host our website, manage our membership database & provide secretarial support for Shropshire Hills Tourism.

List of Current committee members, their own businesses & the role they play in Shropshire Hills Tourism:

Lee Chapman - Long Mynd Hotel
Chairman for Shropshire Hills Tourism, also works on the brochure & website
contact Lee.Chapman@teddesley.co.uk

Alan Garner – Secret Hills Walking 
Organises press liaison for Shropshire Hills Tourism
Contact  info@secrethillswalking.co.uk

Cynthia Prior – Mocktree Barns Holiday cottages
Works on Shropshire Hills Tourism website liaison
Contact mocktreebarns@care4free.net

David Palliser - Bishops Castle Festivals & works on Shropshire Hills Tourism newsletter
Contact  d_palliser@hotmail.com

Jane Cronin – Sutton Court Farm and works on Shropshire Hills Brochure
Contact  suttoncourtfarm@hotmail.com

Kay Dartnell – Wheely Wonderful Cycling
Works on Shropshire Hills Tourism newsletter
Contact info@wheelywonderfulcycling.co.uk

Please feel free to contact any of us if you have any queries.

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Shropshire Hills Tourism committee meetings - your chance to join in

– or to raise an issue you feel  we need to tackle.

We meet every 2 months – half our meeting is devoted to running the practical aspects of  Shropshire Hills Tourism, & the other half to keeping up to date with tourism developments & the work of the market towns.

You are cordially invited to come along to our meetings. 

Venue is usually The Cliffe Hotel, Ludlow.  The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 5th July at 1 p.m.

If you would like to come along - please let Jodie Stephen know by calling 01743 261919 or emailing jstephen@shropshiretourism.co.uk

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What's Happening to Shropshire's tourism organisations?

With Shropshire council looking to make budget cuts in all areas of  council services – how does this affect the tourism industry?

Tim King explains...

The Council's service areas are being re-organised and a new Business Growth and Prosperity Service has been formed and within this there is a new Visitor Economy Team. The present Tourism Team in Economic Development (Louise Cross, Alison Patrick and Tim King) have moved in to the Visitor Economy Team and are being joined by the Museum Service, Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, Archives and Records Management as well as strategic management for Visitor Information services.
The new Team is in its formative stages and more details will be announced soon.

Sustainable Tourism Strategy for The Shropshire Hills and Ludlow
Last year The Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership applied for funding to develop a Sustainable Tourism Strategy with a view to achieving EUROPARC status under the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas. The new Shropshire Hills and Ludlow Destination Development Partnership (DDP) also needed to have a new strategy and it was decided to combine the two into one and bring the tourism interests of the market towns in to the same process.

Consultants The Tourism Company of Ledbury and Alison Caffyn were employed to research, interview people and compile the new Strategy which was presented to the members of the DDP on 9th May.  Individual member organisations of the DDP will receive a copy for comment and other organisations in the private and public sectors will be sent copies for comment. The Strategy will be put out to general consultation via Shropshire Council's consultation process.

The DDP will be meeting again on 7th June to consider the next steps.

Tim King, Visitor Economy Team, Shropshire Council

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Forthcoming events

Don't forget to let your visitors know about events in our area.

Walcot Hall Open Days on May 29th and 30th.  Walcot Hall, Lydbury North.  The gardens and arboretum of this former home of Clive of India are open for charity under the Yellow Book scheme.

Arbor Day, Aston on Clun May 29th.  A traditional village festival incorporating the dressing of the famous black poplar tree in the centre of the village.
Ludlow Secret Gardens 19th June – tickets from Ludlow VIC

Bishop's Castle Midsummer Rejoicing on June 25th and 26th.  A town fete on the Saturday and Rush Cart parade with Morris Teams on the Sunday morning.

Bishop's Castle Stone Skimming Championship on June 26th at Bow House Farm lakes off the A489 near Bishop's Castle.  Take part in the various stone related events or just watch the fun.  Bring a picnic

Church Stretton Arts Festival 24th  July- 5 August www.strettonfestival.org.uk

Scarecrow Sunday 31 July Brampton Bryan - village wide celebrations of scarecrows and a rare chance to see Brampton Bryan Castle

Magnalonga 14th August Ludlow.  Great walk - with local food stops. www.magnalonga.co.uk

Crafts & Skills Bonanza 21st August - Acton Scott.  Demonstrations of traditional sills, trades and domestic crafts.

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The Best Tearoom in the UK

Karin Clarke at Rocke Cottage has just won the UK Tea council's "Top Tea Place for 2011". Our congratulations to Karin & this is what she had to say about the award "The first thing I would say is that it was a complete surprise as the judges are completely anonymous and I had no idea at all. The award is "TOP TEA PLACE 2011" and is one of three categories LONDON, COUNTRY HOTELS AND TEA PLACES and I won the tea place for the UK."

"The presentation was on the 8th April and was attended by the Chairman of the UK Tea Council as well as the Head of the Tea Guild. Lots of press including being interviewed on BBC radio Shropshire.  Hopefully the press interest will continue, look out for Shropshire Life in June and also maybe Prima magazine in August. I know it has had a good effect on business from the number of new customers and comments I have received, long may it continue. The award I received is stunning and looks so good with the sun shining through it, you must come over and see it."

Karin Clarke

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Food Safety Training Course

A CIEH Level 3 Implementing Food Safety Management Procedures course is being offered at a reduced price at The Old Wheelwrights Tearooms, Clunbury.

To book a place please download and complete the form below and return to the following address:

C.A. Kinnersley
13 Callow Crescent
Minsterley
Shrewsbury
SY5 0BY

Click here to download the form (PDF)

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PLEASE BE AWARE

We have received an email from a Wiltshire Farmstay member concerning non paying guests in their self catering property. The guests stayed in the property for 9 months before the owners had to finally take them to court and they have been given until the end of April to leave.

The name is Fraser or Monti or sometimes Monti Fraser and they are white South African.

Just to make our Shropshire members aware.

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Shropshire Hills Tourism AGM

Shropshire Hills Tourism held their Annual General Meeting on Thursday 21st May 2009 at 2pm at the Ludlow Food Centre.

To view the minutes of the meeting along with the Chairmans report and the company accounts, please click on the links below:

AGM 2009 Minutes
Company Accounts
Chairmans Report

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SSTA EGM

Held at the request of the Committee of Shropshire Hills Tourism, an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was called for the members to consider and vote on proposals concerning the transformation to a not for profit company limited by guarantee, appointment of new directors and the adoption of Memorandums and Articles of Association and nominations to the Board.

The EGM was held on Wednesday 21st January 2009 at 11am at the Ludlow Food Centre, Bromfield, Ludlow

The Memorandum and Articles of Association can be viewed by clicking on the following links:

• Memorandum
• Articles of Association

The minutes of the meeting can be viewed here:

• Minutes

For any additional information concerning the EGM please contact Jodie Stephen, Secretary of Shropshire Hills Tourism.

By Email: jstephen@shropshiretourism.co.uk

By Fax:01743 462035

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Email Scam

This scam, purporting to be a genuine booking enquiry, is going round the county at present and has been reported by at least two accommodation providers. The telephone number doesn't look like a 0900 number, but it is and you will get charged an exorbitant rate from ringing it.

The e mail below was from a Stephen Morris - subject Booking Enquiry. It looked legitimate. However, it's a scam. There is no answer when you call him and you end up paying an extortionate amount of money because of the 07099 number

Hi there,
I am thinking about booking a surprise holiday for my wife and family,
however I need to check a couple of things in relation to disabled access.
Please can someone from your reservations department give me a call on
07099 800152.
Thank you
Stephen
Stephen Morris
Commercial Director
Aquasita
Tel: 07099 800152
International: +44 (0) 7099 800152

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Warning

One of our members has recieved the following email. Please read for information.

Hello,

I now have a reservation request for 2 set of couples comprising of 2 couples in each set. Arrival date for the first couples is October 11th  and departure October
25th,2008 while the second set of couples will arrive December 6th and departure date is 20th December. Please let me know if you have any of the dates free for 2 couples,in 2 separate rooms of any category.
I am also limited by the points below of which each point is an important factor in this arrangement. Please advise on the issues below;

1. I will need total cost of the accommodation of each set of guests in 2 separate rooms of any category. The cost maybe on self catering or bed and breakfast depending on what you have available.

2. My only form of payment to you is by credit card transactions. I am limited to this form of payment because I am away on a trip and do not have access to my accounts.

3. I will also need payment to be made to a third party on my authority. This is because there are some other services required by the guests that I cannot achieve from my current position.

Each of these points mentioned above is very important for me to be able to achieve this arrangement. Please comment on each.Like I mentioned above, preferable payment  method will be direct by credit card  deductions.Thank you and looking forward to  hearing from soon.

Kind Regards,Franklin Great.
Priory Street,University complex
Coventry CV1 5FB,United Kingdom.
+447045780276,+442070221691 Fax
great_groups@hotmail.com

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Please Be Aware

A couple of B&B businesses in Herefordshire have had the same man staying in their property within the last month. Both times the man’s cheques have bounced. He is a painter/decorator/plasterer.

The name he is giving is Robert Martin
Address: 10a King Street, Aberdeen
Tel: 07535 290396
Car: Rover 200, Racing green, R871 BHK

He also has a geordie accent.

If this vehicle/man is seen, please contact the police on 08457 444 888 and speak to the public service desk on ext 4806 who will take details.

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Garden Rescue – No job too small!

Have you got a Holiday Homes letting business and looking for someone to oversee your property and maintain a loved and lived in environment particularly throughout those quiet winter months?

John Edwards provides general maintenance and garden clearance. Garden care, welcome packs, flowers, heating on/off and fires lit. Key holder for those emergencies.

25 years of experience. Reference and CRB check provided.

£10 per hour for general garden maintenance. Property checks by negotiation.

For further details call John on 0781 62 85 420

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FIRE REGULATIONS INFORMATION

For further information on Fire Regulations please click on the following link: www.stmem.com/fire-safety-law.htm

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PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY

Someone purporting to be from the Performing Arts Society is telephoning accommodation establishments saying that a licence is needed if there is a television or radio in the letting bedroom. This is not the case.