Tourism businesses across Shropshire have been invited to a one-day conference in Coalbrookdale on Monday to learn about collaboration opportunities with the National Trust's newly managed Ironbridge Gorge museums.
The Telford and Shropshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership has arranged the event to help the tourism industry understand the National Trust's plans for the attractions and explore how businesses can work alongside them.
Recent Management Change
The National Trust took over ownership of the Ironbridge Gorge sites in March, with the attractions reopening under their new management in May. The sites were previously managed by The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust since 1967.
The museums include Blists Hill Victorian Town, the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, the Old Furnace, and the Jackfield Tile Museum, along with 10 museums, 35 listed buildings and scheduled monuments in total.
Visitor Numbers and Access Plans
The National Trust received a £9m government grant to take over the attractions. The organisation has stated it aims to increase annual visitor numbers from 330,000 to 600,000 in the long term.
This will partly be achieved by giving paid National Trust members access to the site, but the National Trust has also said it wants to strengthen relationships with the local tourism industry.
About the Ironbridge Gorge
The area was named a Unesco World Heritage site in 1986. It played a key role in the Industrial Revolution, owing much to Abraham Darby I's transformation of iron production and the innovations that followed, which were widely recognised as the catalyst for building the bridges, railways and machinery of the modern world.
The conference on Monday will allow businesses to learn more about the evolving visitor offer at Ironbridge Gorge, gain insight into future opportunities, and explore collaboration possibilities. The Local Visitor Economy Partnership is made up of Telford and Wrekin Council, Shropshire Council, Visit Telford and Visit Shropshire.
