City tourism sites to receive boost (From Worcester News)

City tourism sites to receive boost

2:50pm Monday 1st October 2012 in News By Tom Edwards

A TOURISM boost is on the way to Worcester — with fresh efforts being made to promote the city’s archaeological assets and major landmarks.

City brown signs, which flag up points of interest to visitors, are being reviewed to see if they give enough detail.

The review will also consider new interpretation boards which describe the background to landmarks like the Cathedral and Guildhall. The city’s medieval walls will get their biggest renovation in decades.

Nearly 100 metres of the wall along City Walls Road will be repaired, cleared of vegetation and tidied up.

It will cost around £8,000 and is being paid for via a grant from English Heritage.

James Dinn, the city council’s archaeological officer, said: “Aside from the cathedral and churches, the City Walls are the most extensive remains we have left of the medieval city.

“They represent the collective ambition and efforts of the people of medieval Worcester to protect their property and livelihoods.”

The news was revealed at a meeting of the authority’s planning committee.

Councillor Pat Agar said: “We are already well ahead of the statutory requirements on this, so I’m pleased.

“I’d like us to have a lot more heritage trails.”

Mr Dinn said the Worcester BID team, the Business Improvement District, will be looking at all the signs to see if they can be improved.

He also told the committee a smartphone app is expected to be developed which would give people details of notable city landmarks.