Memorandum submitted by Association of
English Cathedrals (AEC)
1. This submission is made by the Association
of English Cathedrals (AEC) which represents the 42 Anglican cathedrals
in England and two Royal Peculiars (Westminster Abbey and St George's
Chapel, Windsor). The cathedrals range from those of international
importance (such as St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey)
and those in World Heritage Sites (Canterbury and Durham Cathedrals)
to less well known cathedrals such as Blackburn, Bradford and
Sheffield. The primary purpose of a cathedral is to be a place
of Christian worship but it is also often the most historic and
architecturally important building in its environment and the
most significant tourist attraction, playing an important role
in local tourism.
The challenges and opportunities for the domestic
and inbound tourism industries
2. The cathedrals of England are important
visitor attractions for both domestic and overseas visitors. A
number of cathedrals have an international profile and are on
the list of "must see" attractions for those coming
to the UK, drawing overseas visitors away from London on day trips
(to places such as Canterbury, Salisbury and Winchester) and on
overnight or longer stays in cathedral cities (such as Durham
and York). This helps spread the benefits of inbound tourism around
the country. Cathedral cities are also attractive destinations
for domestic visitors on weekend and short breaks.
3. 11.8 million visits were made to the
44 AEC members in 2006.
4. 4.6 million people visited St Paul's
Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and York Minster
in 2006. These members of the AEC also participate in the Association
of Leading Visitor Attractions where they were respectively the
9th, 18th, 19th and 24th most visited attractions in the UK in
2006. When only those attractions which charge entrance fees are
ranked, they were the 2nd, 7th, 8th and 12th most visited attractions.
5. The social and economic impacts of cathedrals
are shown in a report (The economic and social impacts of cathedrals
in England, June 2004, copy attached) prepared by ECOTEC for the
AEC and English Heritage. That research showed that cathedrals
are responsible for direct visitor-related spend of £91 million
and for a total spend of £150 million, which are significant
economic outcomes for the surrounding areas.
6. Heritage is a key factor in attracting
visitors, especially from overseas. The AEC member cathedrals
and Royal Peculiars, 40 of which are Grade 1 listed buildings,
are well positioned to benefit from the opportunity presented
by tourism and to assist their local areas too.
The effectiveness of DCMS and its sponsored bodies
(such as VisitBritain) in supporting the industry
7. Cathedrals collectively have no links
with those holding the tourism brief at DCMS, nor any direct contact
with VisitBritain. It is our experience that the DCMS follows
a largely secular agenda and frequently ignores cathedrals and
churches in discharging its responsibilities, despite their significance
as tourist attractions. We would welcome the opportunity to engage
with DCMS officials.
8. Cathedrals are active partners in local
tourism bodies and initiatives, working with county, city and
borough councils to promote their local areas. The cathedral is
often the oldest building in an area, dominating the landscape
and attracting visitors. The majority of cathedrals employ visitors'
officers whose responsibilities include working with local authorities
and other local attractions to increase the number of visitors,
participating in marketing initiatives and promotion schemes.
Visitors' officers also work with colleagues in other cathedrals
to promote areas of interest to potential visitors, such as the
various art works commissioned by cathedrals in the 20th century,
and there is scope to develop further these specialist areas.
9. Cathedrals do not receive any Government
funding to assist with their role as tourist attractions. Whereas
the DCMS awards grants to museums to enable free access for the
public, no such grants are available to cathedrals. In York in
2005-06, the National Railway Museum received a grant of £5.66
million, equivalent to approximately £6.50 per visitor. York
Minster, which received 895,000 visits in 2006, received no assistance
and instead charged £5.50 for an adult visitor (£9.00
for a "see everything" ticket), a charge necessitated
by the cost of keeping the building open, safe and secure, and
in good repair. (Please note that entry to York Minster is free
at certain times on weekdays and on Sundays). Revenue grants that
would enable cathedrals to provide free access to visitors would
be very welcome and potentially extend the opportunity to less
advantaged groups to experience what cathedrals have to offer.
10. Cathedrals would welcome the opportunity
to work more directly with VisitBritain. The AEC supports the
Sacred Britain Tourism Partnership initiative which is coordinating
the development of tourism in the cathedrals and churches sector
and highlighting the importance of the sector to inbound and domestic
markets. We also recognise the contribution made by VisitBritain
in seconding a staff member for six months to help establish the
Partnership.
The effect of the current tax regime (including
VAT) and proposals for local government funding (including the
"bed tax") upon the industry's competitiveness
11. Visitors paying an entry charge to visit
a cathedral pay VAT. For example, of the £5.50 charge to
enter York Minster, 82p is VAT, so the Government earns 82p from
each paying adult visitor to York Minster and several million
pounds each year from visitors paying charges to enter cathedrals.
It would be preferable if entry to cathedrals and other tourist
destinations attracted a lower rate of VAT, or none at all, as
this would make visits more affordable and increase the number
of people able to enjoy learning about their history and cultural
identity.
12. Cathedrals benefit from the Listed Places
of Worship Grant Scheme, which gives grants equivalent to the
amount of irrecoverable VAT paid on repairs to listed places of
worship. The Grant Scheme, which was recently extended to cover
irrecoverable VAT paid on professional fees associated with the
repair and restoration work, is much appreciated by cathedrals
and is of considerable assistance to the major restoration and
repair programmes required to maintain the historic and fragile
fabric of cathedrals.
13. UK tax payers visiting cathedrals and
making a donation can do so using Gift Aid. This has enabled cathedrals
to increase their income from donations, especially those cathedrals
which attract fewer visitors, many more of whom are domestic visitors.
The impact of the new regulations on Gift Aid on entry charges,
which require an additional element of donation if Gift Aid is
to be recovered on entry charges to charities and which came into
force in April 2006, is still being assessed but is likely to
be adverse. More administration is required and training for those
operating the tills. The flexibility of Gift Aid is welcomed and
it is a considerable improvement on the old covenanted giving
system.
What data on tourism would usefully inform Government
policy on tourism
14. We consider it would be useful if the
DCMS were to identify what information on tourism is currently
being commissioned and collected by sectors such as the cathedrals
and churches sector. Cathedrals pool data on visitor numbers to
ensure that their performance is in line with national and local
trends and to identify examples of best practice.
15. Cathedrals are very aware of the importance
of tourism and of the need to attract increasing numbers of visitors.
In order to make new initiatives more successful, the AEC, with
financial assistance from the Headley Trust and the Church of
England, commissioned ORB to conduct a pilot survey at three cathedrals
in September 2006, finding out about the attitudes of visitors
and also the reasons why other visitors in the immediate area
of the cathedrals were not visiting the cathedral that day and
their attitudes to cathedrals. A national survey is now being
considered, which will provide a complete picture, but this is
expensive and will require some external funding.
16. Cathedrals would welcome the opportunity
to work with the Government to identify existing data and develop
joint plans for the collection of additional data that would increase
tourism.
The practicality of promoting more environmentally
friendly forms of tourism
17. Cathedrals are located in city centres
and, with very few exceptions such as Wells and Southwell, are
very accessible by public transport. Cathedrals frequently work
with local transport companies to promote visits by train, coach
and bus. For example, posters in London promote visits to Canterbury
by train with a large picture of the cathedral, Thameslink ran
a campaign encouraging use of its trains to visit St Alban's,
St Paul's and Southwark Cathedrals, all of which were located
close to stations served by Thameslink trains, and posters of
Ely and St Edmundsbury Cathedrals have also been used to promote
tourism using rail travel.
18. Cathedrals are currently working on
a variety of initiatives to address their carbon footprints, including
the impact of travel. Literature produced by cathedrals encourages
use of public transport and also walking and cycling.
19. One initiative under consideration is
the development of walking and cycling trails in partnership with
local churches. Trails will provide an environmentally friendly
way of increasing visits to cathedrals and churches.
How to derive maximum benefit for the industry
from the London 2012 Games
20. Cathedrals will seek to attract visits
from those coming to see the Olympic Games in 2012. Many Games
visitors will have ancestral links to the UK and cathedrals will
participate in initiatives to encourage people to trace their
roots. Cathedrals are well positioned to benefit from the interest
of visitors in heritage, with additional benefits for others in
the tourism industry in their surrounding areas.
March 2007
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