A YEAR after forming, a volunteer group aiming to promote and encourage more footfall in Barnard Castle says it’s making a difference and has its eyes firmly on the future.
Making Barney Brighter Together (MBBT) was created following a public meeting at The Witham, last year. More than 75 residents and business owners attended to discuss action following a number of shop closures.
Town councillor Sandra Moorhouse, one of the main organisers, said: “The one thing we can’t prove is what a difference the group has made. We have tried to evaluate that but it is difficult. People have said they have noticed a bigger number of people in the town, but we can’t attribute that simply to what we have done, but we think we’ve made a difference.”
Over the past 12 months, the group has produced and distributed 5,000 promotional brochures about the town.
Demand has been high and a reprint of 10,000, with a few revisions, is in progress.
A website for the town was created – www.barnardcastle.
org.uk – and launched by resident Geoff Dixon featuring images of the town and surrounding area, along with information.
An app allowing visitors to step back in time to see how Barnard Castle looked 100 years ago has also been created. Visitor maps have been produced and distributed through The Witham’s information point. Tourism training has been organised by Visit County Durham with 12 tourism ambassadors in place to help visitors.
Cllr Moorhouse said: “We have done is to try to bring people and organisations together. That is our ethos – if we work together we can achieve a lot more.”
She said the group, working with Durham County Council’s regeneration team, has reminded business owners about the availability of funding for shop fronts. Vacant shop premises have been used to display information boards, which Cllr Moorhouse said had been popular with visitors and tourists.
Funding from Northern Heartlands was used to stage community workshops to create candle-lit lanterns, which were used in a Christmas parade, and to make large puppets for the forthcoming Meet procession in May.
“We’ve got 18 large swans so far for the parade,” Cllr Moorhouse said. “We’ve got some finishing off to do with them, but we’ve also got loads of smaller swans ready that fit on people’s heads. We’re in talks at the moment with one of the schools about the children using them for the procession.
“We’ve managed to build networks and links with different organisations, businesses and individuals and we feel that we’ve got a solid base to move forward from. But we really have to look to the future. The group is trying hard to bring all the groups and organisations together so that we work together and help and support each other. We are trying to keep everyone informed, especially businesses, on what is happening in town so they can respond and benefit from it.
“We really have to look forward positively and see how we can best promote the town. We would welcome comments and if anyone has ideas on how and what we do going forward we’d be delighted for new members to join in.” The group’s next meeting is at the Old Well, Barnard Castle, at 6pm today (Wednesday, March 11).
