New campaign showcases Bamburgh Castle as an inspiration for Northumberland's tourism sector to follow

It is hoped the ‘Good Job, Northumberland’ campaign will act as a catalyst to inspire others as Northumberland’s vital visitor economy comes back to life.

At the heart of the campaign is a collection of three films showcasing real stories of county businesses – Bamburgh Castle, Hesleyside Huts and Kielder Observatory.

Bamburgh Castle’s Claire Watson Armstrong, in a campaign video, recalls: “The initial feeling was one of disbelief that this was happening. 2019 was a record-breaking year for us and then Covid came along. What do we do?

"The castle is usually so alive with people. Few people realise that it’s privately owned. We’re reliant on that income from visitors, self-catering, from weddings, from events and that stopped.

"After that initial panic we had to very quickly batten down the hatches and think about what to do. We threw ourselves into research and looking at how we could fortify Bamburgh Castle against Covid.

"Good Job, Northumberland is how we move forward together from one of the most heart-breaking and hard-hitting situation and taking our businesses, our visitor attractions, our team of people into the future and coming out of it stronger at the other end.

Neil Carney, head of destination strategy at Visit Northumberland, said: “This is not about doing everything bigger or better, but about encouraging businesses to amplify positive messaging about Northumberland.

"Through the eyes of these businesses, we see in great detail - and with great honesty - the amazing stories that underpin the spirit of our visitor economy.

“By championing real, unpolished stories from the people behind the Northumberland tourism businesses who have managed to adapt during the pandemic, we can offer hope, inspiration and support to those other local business owners in the region. These genuine, hands-on accounts of tourism entities that found ways to triumph during the pandemic are a collective boost for Northumberland.”

The campaign aims to inspire other tourism businesses to share their stories on how they found a way to adapt, evolve and advance to a brighter future via #goodjobnorthumberland and social media.

The case studies can be found at http://bit.ly/goodjobnland

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