NOTTINGHAM SHERIFF’S COMMISSION AIMS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF ROBIN AT MIPIM
Added: (Thu Mar 18 2010)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Speaking to a captivated audience of investors, developers, architects and engineers, Tim Garratt has delivered a clear message that Nottingham must make more of Robin Hood. Garratt is a member of the advisory group to the Sheriffs Commission, a Director of Nottingham Regeneration Limited and a director of commercial property consultants Innes England, so is perfectly placed to give authoritative comment of the use of the iconic archer to drive development.
At the presentation during International property summit MIPIM the key member of Team Nottingham stated: “The Tales of Robin Hood on Maid Marian Way closed in 2009 after 20 years. In truth it had probably reached the end of its economic life. A few people in Nottingham saw this as an opportunity rather than a problem and the Sheriffs Commission was duly set up in July 2009. Its objective is to find how to maximize the impact of the legendary Outlaw for the benefit of Nottingham’s residents and visitors to the city and county as well as to enhance its local, national and international reputation. “
The commission’s mission to make full use of the brand equity held in Robin Hood will follow five core themes; which are social justice, green environmental heroics, romanticism, being part of a team and also courteous / humorous. The commissioned was given a huge and timely boost recently with the announcement that Sir Ridley Scott was to make a film about Robin Hood – a short exert of which was shown during the presentation.
There is talk of a new and exciting attraction replacing for The Tales of Robin Hood as Garrett confirmed: “There has been much discussion about the location of a possible World Class attraction. There are sensitivities around the Castle, but an emerging view is that an attraction ought to be Castle centric. The use of the grounds, Brewhouse Yard and Castle Road, can all be brought into play.
“In September last year the Commission visited the USA with the Sheriff to fully investigate the ingredients of what makes a world class attraction. Those findings were reported to and form the ultimate ‘wish list’. The main lessons learnt from the expedition were that you have to think big, this should not be Disney, but rather, ‘Urban Entertainment’. You need lots of money, you should connect attractions in the city and county and the attraction has to be brilliant – good is not sufficient.”
In the short term Nottingham is to have a Robin Hood month in May, which involves a number of key activities, primarily planned around the Castle and Sherwood Forest. The film will be launched during the month and Nottingham is still working to get a Premier. Nottingham is also to have some of the props and artifacts from the film and these will be displayed at the Castle and in Sherwood Forest from the 23 March. The exhibition is being designed by the films set Designer.
The Commission’s long term view is that Nottingham should have a world class visitor attraction in place for 2018. The real test will then be visitor numbers, and organisation’s stated target is to attract over one million people a year.
Garratt predicted that the impact on the local economy is huge and said that there was an open invitation to feed ideas into the Commission. “Ideally we want to find someone who would like to construct a World Class Robin Hood attraction, he concluded. “Robin Hood belongs in Nottingham – not by the side of a runway in Doncaster!”