Issue 65 Spring 2016 £2.75

Two in five Brits afraid of being scam victims By Christina Eccles

TWO in five Brits are afraid of becom-ing the victims of a holiday scam, according to a survey from global online review community Trustpilot, which is encouraging tourists to do their research before booking a trip.

According to the study, more than two thirds of people (68 per cent) say holidays are an important invest-ment for them, while three quarters say holidays are one of the biggest individual spends they make every year.

Additionally, 62 per cent say they proactively save money during the year to spend on holiday.

As a result, Trustpilot is advis-ing holidaymakers to spend time researching holiday providers before booking with them – and has out-lined the top “trust triggers” for cus-tomers when researching companies.

No hidden fees tops the list with 91 per cent of respondents saying this is important to them when making a decision about booking a holiday through a holiday provider.

Other trust triggers include an easy-to-use booking system (86 per cent), a user-friendly website (80 per cent) and positive online reviews (78 per cent).

The research also highlights a com-pany’s online presence is especially important to holidaymakers.

Almost three quarters of consumers

say they wouldn’t purchase a holiday from a website which looks unprofes-sional.

The results also show online reviews are a crucial factor in helping consumers make informed decisions when booking a holiday.

65 per cent say they specifically consider a company’s reviews before making a holiday booking with them, while 69 per cent say they will choose a holiday provider that has better reviews over a cheaper one with poor reviews.

VP Trustpilot UK James Westlake said: “Given the time and money many people invest in holiday bookings, the fear of losing money through a scam is understandable.

“However, this risk can easily be mitigated by spending time research-ing holiday providers before making a booking decision.

“To avoid becoming a victim, there are a number of simple steps to fol-low, such as checking for purchase protection such as ATOL, reading online reviews, and checking for any hidden fees.

“Looking out for these important trust triggers will ensure people book with the most trustworthy providers and won’t come across any nasty or unexpected surprises on their holi-days.”

Research statistics came from an online poll of 2,000 UK adults con-ducted by One Poll in January.

VISITENGLAND’S 2016 Year of the English Garden campaign will be showcased at the upcoming British Tourism and Travel Show, which returns to the NEC Birmingham on March 16 and 17.

The new Year of the English Garden feature area, supported by VisitEngland, marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of famous garden designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

Participating exhibitors include Scampston Hall and Walled Garden, Dartington Hall and Great Gardens of Cornwall.

Garden attractions from all over the UK will also be showcased at the event, with exhibitors from Scotland, Wales and Ireland also appearing; including The National Trust for Scotland and Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust.

Other new show feature areas for 2016 include the Vineyard, Brewery and Distillery Trail and The London Zone, supported by London and Partners.

Executive director of The Tourism Society Gregory Yeoman said: “The show continues to go from strength to strength.”

Former Sugababes singer Jade Ewen will play Jasmine in the West End pre-miere of Disney’s Aladdin, opening at the Prince Edward Theatre on June 15.Dean John-Wilson will play the role of Aladdin in the production, which fea-tures much-loved songs from the 1992 animated film, plus new music.Broadway cast member Trevor Dion Nicholas will make his London stage debut as Genie. *For more theatre news see our Centre Stage feature starting on page 11.

Show to feature English garden

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EDITORIALJudith Halkerston group editor 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.ukChristina Eccles reporter 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia.co.ukOlivia Taylor reporter ot@scriptmedia.co.ukDominic Musgrave production editor dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

PRODUCTIONStewart Holt – studio manager – sth@scriptmedia.co.ukLaura Blackburn – graphic designerlb@scriptmedia.co.ukScott Firth – graphic designersf@scriptmedia.co.uk

ADVERTISINGTony Barrysales and marketing director01226 734605 CIRCULATIONKelly Tarff 01226 734695 kt@scriptmedia.co.ukWeb: www.destination.uk.com

Contacts

At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: ce@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

Mountain festival boosts town’s economy by £2mBy Christina Eccles

THE 2015 Kendal Mountain Festival attracted 14,000 visitors and generated £2m in visitor spend in and around Kendal, according to figures.

The research took place during the weekend of the event in November and calculated that for every £1 spent by organisers, visitors spent £6.40 in local shops, restaurants and hotels.

The survey also discovered the festival directly benefited the town centre economy, with 80 per cent of visitors having a meal or a drink and 23 per cent going shopping.

Staying visitors from outside Cumbria spent over £150 per person on average over the course of the festival weekend.

Director of Kendal Mountain Events Steve Scott said: “We’re delighted at the findings in the economic report commissioned by South Lakeland District Council.

“This reinforces the value of the

event to the town and region and the fact we are attracting more visitors from around the UK and overseas is great news to us.

“As an organisation we continue to

grow and take ‘brand Kendal’ around the world. There are many exiting new developments for 2016 which we are all working hard to develop. Long may this growth continue.”

Kendal’s annual Mountain Festival attracted 14,000 visitors.

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Fashion Rules: RestyledFASHION Rules has reopened with an updated version of the exhibition and new interpretation to offer visitors a fresh experience.

An all-new dress display will move the timeline to focus on different periods in the wardrobes of HM The Queen, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales, expanding our glimpse into the era-defining style choices of these three royal women.

Outfits specially created for Princess Margaret in the 1950’s will go on display alongside accessories from Yves Saint Laurent

and Christian Dior, revealing the considerations of this thoroughly modern princess.

The elegance of HM The Queen showcasing stalwarts of British couture Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies in the 1960’s and 1970’s will reveal a continuing royal trend of diplomatic dressing.

The early 1990’s signalled a move towards a more tailored look for Diana, Princess of Wales with key designers such as Bruce Oldfield and Catherine Walker.

The display will continue to explore how these women navigated the

fashion ‘rules’ defined by their royal duties in unique style.

Stephen Weber, creative programming and interpretation manager, said: “Fashion Rules has proven incredibly popular with our visitors, and we’re delighted to be able to expand on this theme to celebrate the style evolution of three incredible modern royal women.

“The new display will delve even deeper into the royal wardrobe, revealing some real surprises that I hope will challenge the way we think of royal style.”

Groups of 15 and over need to

book a timed entry slot in advance by calling 0844 482 7770 and by doing so will receive a welcome from one of our Palace Explainers on arrival at the palace.

Enhance your group’s visit with “Morning Tea” in the elegant Orangery Restaurant before your visit to the palace, available between 10am and 12 noon.

For more information on future events and exhibitions for 2016 and beyond at Kensington Palace, please contact the Groups & Travel Trade Department on 0203 166 6311 or groupsandtraveltrade@hrp.org.uk

Catherine Walker for Diana Princess of Wales 1990. Image credit – Historic Royal Palaces (C) Museo de la Moda

Norman Hartnell for Princess Margaret. Image credit – Historic Royal Palaces Copyright Fashion Museum Bath

Catherine Walker for Diana Princess of Wales 1992. Copyright Historic Royal Palaces

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“Aladdin is a big, gorgeous-looking musical comedy – everything we set out to make in the first place and I hope the London audience will take it to their hearts.”

Casey Nicholaw will become the first director since Trevor Nunn to have four productions running consecutively on Broadway.

Bringing ‘Aladdin’ to a whole new audienceCASEY Nicholaw is arguably theatre’s busiest man.

Next year he will become the first director since Trevor Nunn to have four productions running consecutively on Broadway.

Not bad for someone who only made the switch to directing and choreography a decade ago following a career as a performer.

Through projects including ‘The Book of Mormon’and ‘Something Rotten!’, he has overseen a resurgence in popularity of the large-scale musical comedy and his latest production, heading for the West End next summer, is no exception.

Disney’s Aladdin was a global smash hit in 1992 when it premiered in cinemas, and has continued its hold on the public consciousness ever since.

Casey’s challenge, in partnership with producer Thomas Schumacher, composer Alan Menken, book writer Chad Beguelin and lyricist Tim Rice, was to reimagine it for a new audience on stage.

“Aladdin was originally conceived as a big traditional musical comedy,” Nicholaw reveals. “And that is exactly what we were going for in the stage version.

“We reinstated six songs that were cut from the movie and developed it with Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s original concept at its core.”

The production premiered on Broadway in 2014 to glowing reviews and provided Casey with another feather in his directorial cap.

“Following the success of The Book of Mormon I put a lot of pressure on myself to make Aladdin exceed people’s expectations, and I’m very glad that it did,” he added.

One of the keys to the production was to ensure that iconic moments such as the magic carpet ride could provide the ‘wow’ factor on stage.

“I will never reveal how we do the magic carpet,” said Casey,

conspiratorially. “I will take that to my grave – we put an awful lot of thought and planning into getting it right.”

Alan meanwhile reworked the film’s iconic songs such as ‘A Whole New World’ and ‘Friend Like Me’ into rich orchestral numbers to suit the theatrical form.

So what can audiences at the Prince Edward Theatre expect when the show opens here in June?

It will be just as glitzy and glamorous as the Broadway original, while the script is being tweaked for

British tastes. The cast has a distinctly

homegrown feel, led by rising musical theatre stars Dean John-Wilson and Jade Ewen, alongside an original Broadway cast member Trevor Dion Nicholas in the role of the Genie.

“Aladdin is a big, gorgeous-looking musical comedy – everything we set out to make in the first place and I hope the London audience will take it to their hearts,” concluded Casey.

Aladdin begins previews at the Prince Edward Theatre on May 27.

Destination UK spoke to director Casey Nicholaw about the upcoming West End transfer of the hit Disney musical ...

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Hotel creates a replica of Shakespeare’s birthplaceTHE Hallmark Welcombe Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon created a giant edible gingerbread house to celebrate Christmas.

The house, which measured 85cm long, 35cm high and 55cm in width, was a replica of Shakespeare’s birthplace and was created by the pastry chef Petar Stoykov.

It took two days to bake all the components and a further three days to assemble and decorate it.

The house, which is made out of butter, eggs, sugar, ground ginger, ground clove, ground cinnamon and

flour, was on display in the hotel lounge until the New Year for guests to admire.

Shaun Van Looy, general manager at The Welcombe Hotel, said: “We are delighted to showcase this amazing imitation of the birthplace in the form of a giant gingerbread house. I would like to thank Petar for the creation which showcases his talent as an experienced pastry chef.

“We hope our guests enjoyed the display along with the rest of the hotels’ traditional Christmas decorations and festivities.”

The gingerbread house at The Welcombe Hotel created by chef Petar Stoykov.

Celebrate 400 years of the Bard’s legacySHAKESPEARE’S England is gearing up for April 23 when the region celebrates 400 years of William Shakespeare’s legacy.

This year commemorates 400 years since the death of the world famous playwright, and this special anniversary year is a unique opportunity to visit his home of Stratford-upon-Avon and the surrounding area.

Shakespeare’s England will celebrate his legacy with a range of exciting new exhibitions and events, including a new immersive theatrical experience at the Royal Shakespeare Company; a reimagining of Shakespeare’s final home, New Place, and Shakespeare’s Schoolroom at King Edward VI School will open for the first time to the general public.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is transforming New Place, the site of Shakespeare’s family home in Stratford-upon-Avon for the last 19 years of his adult life, to create a new heritage landmark where visitors can discover Shakespeare at the height of his success.

The re-imagination of this unique site will be the single most significant Shakespearian

project anywhere in the world to commemorate his legacy.

Visitors will be able to walk in Shakespeare’s footsteps through a new threshold on the site of his gatehouse and trace the footprint of his family home in a contemporary landscape setting. Commissioned artworks and displays will evoke a sense of family life and the 26 major works written during Shakespeare’s ownership of New Place.

A new exhibition will throw light on Shakespeare the family man, homeowner and successful entrepreneur, featuring rare and important artefacts relating to his life at New Place, many of them on display for the first time.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)’s 2016 season includes productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, Cymbeline, Doctor Faustus, Don Quixote and The Alchemist.

A major new exhibition, The Play’s The Thing, will open in June in The Swan Theatre front of house areas (booking from January). It will celebrate the magic of Shakespeare on stage and reveal the secrets and stories from 100 years of theatre-

making in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Other Place is the RSC’s

research and development hub, and home to the Company’s new studio theatre, rehearsal rooms and costume store and café bar

It will reopen in April and a new discovery tour will take visitors on a journey from Page to Stage, from the first day of rehearsals to the first performance, with an opportunity to look inside the RSC’s store of 30,000 costumes for the very first time. Booking open now.

As part of the annual Shakespeare birthday celebrations on April 23,

the RSC will offer a fun-packed day of free outdoor events for all the family, including a breath taking show by acrobatic company, Mimbre, inspired by Shakespeare’s stories.

The day will end with a spectacular free firework display. For those who can’t make it to Stratford, The Shakespeare Show (working title) will be broadcast live on BBC2. A unique collaboration between the RSC and the BBC, this special evening, hosted by David Tennant, will celebrate Shakespeare’s legacy across all the arts.

Shakespeare’s schoolroom

Stratford is only UK destination on listFODOR’S Travel has released its fifth annual Fodor’s Go List.

The list highlights 25 can’t-miss spots around the world that should be on every traveller’s radar in 2016 and features Stratford-upon-Avon as the only destination in the UK to visit.

The destinations, which span six continents and 20 countries, are chosen by the experts at Fodor’s Travel who log countless miles traveling across the globe each year.

This year’s list incorporates everything from emerging destinations (Minneapolis’s North Loop) and new hotspots (Cuba) to noteworthy events (Bavaria’s Oktoberfest will be even more of a party as they celebrate the 500th anniversary of the famous Beer Purity Law) and great values (San Sebastian, Spain) around the world.

Helen Peters, chief executive of Shakespeare’s England, said: “We are delighted that Stratford-upon-

Avon has been selected by Fodor’s Travel as one of their must see destinations to visit this year, especially with the town celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s legacy.”

Arabella Bowen, editor in chief of Fodor’s Travel, added: “With so many destinations worth visiting it can be overwhelming for travellers to decide where they should go next

“Our Go List helps guide travellers when they are making that decision and this year we went a step further by recommending Utah as our top destination to visit in 2016.”

Henry V is second showREGENT’S Park Open Air Theatre has confirmed that Henry V will be the second show of the 2016 season.

As part of Shakespeare400, celebrating Shakespeare’s creative influence in national and global culture in the 400th anniversary of his death, Henry V is directed by Donmar Warehouse Associate Director, Robert Hastie from June 17 to July 9.

Robert recently received critical acclaim for Splendour by Abi Morgan and My Night With Reg, which subsequently transferred from the

Donmar to the Apollo Theatre.Artistic director Timothy Sheader

said: “In a year when the world celebrates the life and work of Shakespeare, our 2016 season champions British writing.

“I am passionate about storytelling and of creating work that enhances the shared experience of theatregoing, and I look forward to sharing these productions with our audiences.”

Full cast and creative team for Henry V will be announced in due course.

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Enjoy an Egg-citing Easter in Shakespeare’s EnglandENJOY an egg-citing Easter with a host of fun activities for all the family in Shakespeare’s England from March 18 to April 4.

Search for clues to win chocolate prizes with Easter trails and egg hunts, decorate Easter biscuits, visit the pop up pub at Shakespeare’s Birthplace, re-create a sword fight from Hamlet, wander around spring flowers at Hill Close Gardens or simply enjoy a traditional Easter lunch with friends and family.

The Royal Shakespeare Company is offering families a number of activities to enjoy including re-creating a sword fight inspired by the final scene in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, using a traditional printing press to make a hand printed Shakespeare quote and joining the Head Chef at the Rooftop Restaurant to decorate Easter biscuits.

The Great Shakespeare Egg Hunt, which takes place at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from March 25 to 28, is free of charge.

Simply pick up a trail leaflet and follow the clues to find special Shakespeare egg heads hidden around the Theatre.

Solve the puzzle to get an Easter treat!

Raise your glass at the pop-up pub at Shakespeare’s Birthplace and see the Swan and Maidenhead come back to life. Meet the innkeepers running the tavern’s drinking parlour and lodging rooms plus discover Tudor tavern food and ale brewing techniques.

Learn how to bake the ‘old fashioned way’ at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage plus dress up as a Victorian and discover more about the characters who once lived in this beautiful cottage.

Decorate an Easter egg like a character from Shakespeare’s plays at Mary Arden’s Farm when it reopens on 12 March. Try traditional crafts, see falconry displays, pet the animals, have a go at archery and explore the nature trails.

Visit Hall’s Croft to learn about Tudor fashions and find out what your outfit said about you in Tudor times. At Harvard House design one of their favourite foods, marzipan and see the designs Tudors used to make marzipan fruits.

Great balls of fire will fly again at Warwick Castle as the world’s largest siege engine, the Mighty Trebuchet, returns to fire twice daily.

At 19 metres high and weighing

22 tonnes, the Trebuchet has been fully restored with an investment of £40,000 and is the largest working example in the world of a mediaeval missile launcher.

What’s more two new tours, the Devile Warwicke trail and Capability Brown debating tour will bring alive very different facets of Warwick Castle’s history in a surprising and contrasting way.

Take part in Mad Hatters Easter Crafts at The Old Slaughterhouse in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Fantastical Hats & Wonderland Props takes place on March 21 and

22 and Cheshire Cats and Wondrous Wind Chimes on March 28 and 29. Cost is £20 per place.

The Family Mad Hatters Tea Party takes place on March 25 for children to enjoy a variety of ‘nonsense’ games, face painting and live music. Cost is £5 with refreshments.

The Easter Egg Hunt takes place on March 25 and 26 and will take you around town in search of secret letters on each egg. Completed hunts will be put into a prize draw and the winner will win a giant Easter egg. Cost is £3 donation per entry or £5 per family.

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THE Group Travel Organisers Association, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2016, has a new name and logo.

Unveiled at the GTOA AGM in Northampton, the new look includes a name change for the organisation to the Association of Group Travel Organisers.

Developed in conjunction with leading travel communications agency, Designate, the new style logo aims to bring a fresher, more modern look to the organisation’s print and digital marketing materials.

Mike Bugsgang, chief executive of AGTO, said: “We are really excited about the new visual identity. The aim is to encourage new members to consider joining by projecting a more contemporary image that better reflects the offer of the Association.

“It articulates a confident and professional tone of voice that

speaks to potential members demonstrating that AGTO is a worthwhile organisation to join. The new design will also show existing members that the Association is changing and moving forward.”

The new logo will be gradually incorporated in to AGTO’s communications materials during the coming months.

The Association of Group Travel Organisers provides group organisers and suppliers to the groups travel market with a range of benefits and a forum to debate and exchange views, expertise and opinion through Branch meetings, conferences and its national newsletter.

GTOA unveils its new brand identity and name change

New experience opens at ZSL London Zoo at EasterZSL London Zoo’s biggest and most breath-taking experience ever will be unveiled to the public this Easter, as the doors open to Land of the Lions on March 25.

Home to a pride of endangered Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica), the £5.7m Land of the Lions features an awe-inspiring ‘windowless-view’ of the big cat’s enclosure.

As visitors enter the crumbling ruin of an amphitheatre-style Lion Temple, the majestic big cats will roam just metres away, separated only by fine wires.

Created to transport visitors from the heart of London to the vibrant setting of Sasan Gir in India and covering an expanse of 2,500sqm (27,000sqft), visitors will enter through a grand stone archway, before picking up their ‘park pass’ at the Gir Tourist Information centre

They’ll then explore Sasan Gir Train Station – where the odd lion might be spotted snoozing on the tracks – or embark on a journey on the overhead walkway, to discover the troop of lively Hanuman langur monkeys, and gaze across the lions’ forest home.

SPRING sees the Houses of Parliament offering a wider range of tour options and more opening times to encourage both first time and repeat visitors to take a look around this iconic building.

All tours include the majestic Lords Chamber, the Commons Chamber with its famous green benches and the medieval Westminster Hall.

Suffragette themed toursFollowing the popularity of the feature film ‘Suffragette’, the Houses of Parliament is running a season of Suffragette themed tours until April 6.The Pathé UK feature film ‘Suffragette’ directed by Sarah Gavron and starring Carey Mulligan, Anne-Marie Duff and Meryl Streep, incorporates scenes shot at Westminster.

‘Votes for Women!’ Family ToursDesigned especially for families visiting Parliament, the afternoon begins with a one hour tour led by a Visitor Assistant through the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The tours are ideal for children aged 7 and over and are followed by a range of optional ‘Votes for Women!’-themed family activities.These family tours run on Saturdays throughout February and March, and March 29 and April 5, starting at 1.30pm and 3pm. Tickets are free for children and £18 for adults.

‘From Petitions to Prime Minister: A Short History of Women in Parliament’ Guided ToursLed by a Blue Badge Guide, this 90-minute guided

tour through the House of Commons and the House of Lords focuses on the journey from early petitioning for women’s suffrage through to the UK’s first (and so far) only female Prime Minister and the prominent role of women in Parliament today.These guided tours run on Saturdays throughout February and March, and on March 30 and April 6, starting at 1pm. Tickets are £25.

Private group tours on weekday morningsThe Houses of Parliament has introduced the option of private guided tours on weekday mornings as the buildings are being prepared for the working day ahead. Available on request, these intimate tours for groups of up to 10 visitors can be tailored to reflect the interests, knowledge and preferred language of the group.Most private tours begin at 8.30am and prices start from £475 per group.

Audio and guided tours at EasterIndividual visitors and groups can choose between the award-winning Blue Badge Guide-led tours which take 90 minutes and the popular self-guided audio option which takes approximately 60 to 75 minutes. Discounted group rates are available for groups of 10 or more.

Tickets can now be booked for all Saturdays through to June 25, and for most weekdays during the Easter holidays between March 29 and April 8. Elegant post-tour afternoon tea in a riverside room in the House of Commons can be added on

most tour dates.A range of additional languages are offered

including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Mandarin and Russian

There is also a family version of the audio tour, produced for children aged seven to 12, in English.

Bookings for Houses of Parliament tours can be made by calling Parliament’s bookings team on 020 7219 4114 or online at www.parliament.uk/visiting

Wide range of tour options available

Filming Suffragette with star Carey Mulligan.Photo credit © UK Parliament/Steffan Hill

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is marking the 20th anniversary of the launch of The Spice Girls with an exhibition dedicated to all things Girl Power. Spiceworld the Exhibition is taking place at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! between March 24 and June 26. The collection is the work of visual artist, Liz West (pictured) who is the foremost collector of Spice Girls memorabilia and merchandise in the world, with over 5,000 individual items devoted to the band and a Guinness World Record to mark her achievement.

STIRLING visitor destinations The National Wallace Monument and The Battle of Bannockburn Experience have joined forces with a new ticket offer to provide visitors with unforgettable historical experiences.

Visitors to two of Stirling’s top attractions will be able to uncover the history behind the First War of Scottish Independence and learn more about two of Scotland’s greatest historical figures – William Wallace and Robert the Bruce – while saving money when they travel to both destinations.

Visitors who purchase a full price ticket at one attraction will receive

a 50 per cent discount at the other, until February 29.

Stirling District Tourism marketing manager Ken Thomson said: “Together with the Battle of Bannockburn Experience we are allowing visitors to take advantage of a fantastic offer when they visit these two landmark attractions.

“We hope to not only draw more tourists to Stirling but also provide locals with a fun and educational weekend of activities for a great price. It is often the case that you don’t realise what there is to do on your doorstep so we hope this special offer will help to change that.”

Attractions join forces

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By David Thomas

Last Friday, we had sunshine on a cloudy day.

It was cold outside, but we had the month of May. I guess you’d say, what could have made us feel this way? Motown, I’m talkin ‘bout Motown.

And pretty soon that word will be on everybody’s lips, with Motown The Musical previewing from February 11 ahead of stellar opening night on March 8.

The show celebrates the amazing life story/love story of Berry Gordy, the founding genius behind the Motown Record Label.

One day, back in the 1950’s, Gordy, then a young boxer, was breaking for coffee when he noticed

two posters on the cafe wall. One poster depicted boxers in their

twenties – who looked like they were in their fifties.

The second poster showed bandleaders in their fifties – who looked like they were in their twenties. No contest!

Gordy hung up his gloves and moved into the music business... and thank the Lord he did.

There isn’t space here to list all the great talents who Gordy nurtured within his groundbreaking Motown family, but any roll of honour would include Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross And The Supremes, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder... And now audiences at Motown The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, will be able to become part of the next chapter of this incredible story –

AND treat themselves to a great night out experiencing live some of the greatest songs ever written.

Last Friday we snook into a rehearsal to catch a first glimpse of the show and talk to some of the stars.

One week later and I am still buzzing!

This week we had the heads up on two more great shows coming to London, The Bodyguard, starring the sensational Beverley Knight will be playing at the Dominion Theatre from July until January and Dream Girls, starring Amber Riley from Glee, will open at the Savoy Theatre in November.

It’s only February, but things are already hotting up in London’s West End!

News from around the theatres ...

David Thomas

THIS March, hit West End musical Jersey Boys will celebrate its 8th Anniversary and ahead of this, four new Seasons are joining the cast – the first time since the show opened in London that all four Seasons have changed.

The show is a key seller for short break specialist SuperBreak, who combine overnight accommodation at hotels across the Capital with tickets to see the show.

Jersey Boys is firmly established as one of the longest running and most popular shows in the West End.

The new London cast will feature Matt Corner as Frankie Valli, Simon Bailey as Tommy De Vito, Declan

Egan as Bob Gaudio and Matt Hunt as Nick Massi, with Dayle Hodge playing Frankie Valli at certain performances.

Jersey Boys, which has been seen by more than 23 million people worldwide, opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre in 2008 and moved to the Piccadilly Theatre in March 2014. The show tells the remarkable true story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and their rise to stardom from the wrong side of the tracks.

These four boys from New Jersey became one of the most successful bands in pop history, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

and sold 100 million records worldwide, all before they turned 30.

The show is packed with their hits, including Beggin’, Sherry, Walk Like A Man, December 1963 (Oh What a Night), Big Girls Don’t Cry, My Eyes Adored You, Let’s Hang On (To What We’ve Got), Bye Bye Baby, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Working My Way Back to You, Fallen Angel, Rag Doll and Who Loves You.

SuperBreak’s packages start from £113pp.For more information on SuperBreak visit www.superbreak.com/agents or call 01904 436000

Jersey Boys continues as key seller for Superbreak

SuperBreak national sales manager Graham Balmforth.

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CREATORS and co-directors Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas have created a theatrical experience like no other – playful, thrilling and exploding with energy.

STOMP has hammered out a universal theatrical language of rhythm, movement, comedy and dance, bringing everyday objects like Zippo lighters, plastic bags, bin lids – even the kitchen sink – to life along the way.

It’s the event that showed the globe that even the most ordinary objects can do extraordinary things - in the right hands.

STOMP takes the familiar – newspapers, bins – and uses them to create a rhythmic universe exploding with energy, where anything can be turned into a beat, and anybody can pound a pattern!

From its humble beginnings in Brighton, with a single drum hung around Luke Creswell’s neck in 1991, STOMP has grown into a phenomenon that has the world dancing to its beat.

It’ll set your toes tapping and your pulse racing.

Now booking until January 17

STOMP remains a smash-hit after 14 years in London

Musical phenomenon Wicked extends booking into 2017WICKED, the West End musical phenomenon that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, has announced the opening of its 21st new booking period, with over 500,000 new tickets going on sale for performances until April 29, 2017.

The long-running London production, which is now in its 10th anniversary year, continues to break Box Office records at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, most recently setting a new house record with a weekly gross of £1,030,379.00 (for the week ending January 2, 2016).

Acclaimed as ‘a magical story of friendship, love and growing up’ (OfficialLondonTheatre.com)

and ‘a package of show-stopping songs and razor-sharp wit’ (Metro), Wicked has now been seen by more than seven million people in London alone and is currently the ninth longest-running show in the West End an the 19th longest-running show in West End theatre history.

Wicked currently stars: Emma Hatton (Elphaba), Savannah Stevenson (Glinda), Oliver Savile (Fiyero), Liza Sadovy (Madame Morrible), Tom McGowan* (The Wizard), Sean Kearns (Doctor Dillamond), Daniel Hope (Boq), Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose), Natalie Andreou (Standby for Elphaba) and Carina Gillespie (Standby for Glinda).

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DANIEL Evans’ five-star production of Show Boat will transfer from Sheffield to the West End in the spring. Previews begin at the New London Theatre on April 9, with press night on April 25. With music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II based on the novel Show Boat by Edna Ferber, Daniel’s production is booking to January 7. Designs are by Lez Brotherston with choreography by Alistair David, musical supervision and direction by David White, lighting by David Hersey, sound by Paul Groothuis and

video design by Tim Reid.Daniel’s sell-out production opened at the Crucible in Sheffield on December 10 last year and, after being hailed by audiences and critics alike, extended booking to January 23.Daniel said: “Show Boat is often thought to be the mother of all musicals. “Hammerstein and Kern’s score continues to blow audiences away, almost 90 years later.” Show Boat is produced in the West End by David Ian with Bob Bartner and Norman Tulchin. Casting for this production will be announced shortly.

West End transfer for five-star production of Show Boat

Audiences around the country are gearing up to Twist and Shout on the biggest ever tour of The Beatles’ celebration show Let It Be.The national UK tour will visit 26 theatres across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales until July 2016 – entertaining theatregoers with a show spanning the iconic eras of the band’s illustrious career.

Photo credit: David Munn photography

ALEXANDRA Burke will star as Deloris Van Cartier in the national tour of Curve’s all new production of the hit musical comedy Sister Act, directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood and produced by Jamie Wilson.

Sister Act will open at Curve in Leicester on Saturday July 30 before embarking on a tour, calling at venues including Leeds Grand

Theatre and Sunderland Empire.Craig said: “I am truly thrilled that

Alexandra is going to be our leading lady in this all new production of Sister Act at Curve.

“Alexandra is such a fantastic singer and actress that I know she is going to be amazing.

“I couldn’t think of anyone better to play the role of the smart and funny Deloris.”

Alexandra to star as DelorisAmbassador Theatre Group’s Sir Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire OBE have topped The Stage 100 for a record-breaking seventh consecutive year, following a landmark year of international acquisitions and production investment. ATG Production highlights for 2015 included The Ruling Class starring James McAvoy and the 50th anniversary production of multi award-winning Harold Pinter classic, The Homecoming, starring John Simm, Gary Kemp and Keith Allen.

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By Adam Bray MTS

JANUARY can be a depressing month: long nights, cold daily commutes and trousers that pinch a little after the excesses of Christmas

Indeed, ‘dry January’ has come to signify more than just a period of abstinence from anything alcoholic, it also captures the general level of public enthusiasm for anything that involves leaving the comfort of a warm house. This January, however, saw something different with the arrival of Lumiere London. Over 30 artistic (and sometimes wacky) light installations across the West End and Kings Cross saw the streets of central London closed to traffic over four consecutive evenings, welcoming visitors in their thousands to enjoy the show.

While businesses no doubt benefitted from an uplift in footfall during this otherwise quiet time of year, the festival was about more than just commercial gain: it was about visitors reclaiming the city and enjoying the wonderful art, architecture and culture that makes our capital one of the most celebrated destinations in the world.

Above all else, at the heart of the Lumiere festival was a strong sense of community participation; people were genuinely amazed and engaged by the transformation of public space, seeing the city in a new light and connecting with other visitors through the medium of art. Whilst events like this are unique in both scale and ambition, the spirit of community engagement is something that adds real value to all businesses and the communities in which they operate. When a visitor destination offers a rich and varied experience, with the local community put at the heart of its operational and commercial concerns, visitors benefit from a sense of home-grown pride and the business benefits from a wealth of local support. Understanding your local community is not just about knowing your audience, but also understanding what’s important to them and working with them to help drive these agendas.

As a business with a nationwide property portfolio, The Crown Estate has long been a champion of working closely with the communities in which it operates. Building relationships with a rich and varied stakeholder set gives us insight into local issues, making us more agile and therefore more resilient. There are three main pillars to this approach, all of which we actively promote across the business.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Using a methodology we call Total

Contribution, we’re able to measure and communicate our environmental, social and economic impact beyond our financial return. As part of this we’ve recently launched an ecological master plan, which includes our Wild West End initiative – seeking to create a green corridor in central London linking Regent’s Park and St James’s Park. Through our holistic plan, we are creating over a hectare of new green space, improving the appearance, air quality and overall environment in one of the most congested parts of the UK. We’re also installing green roofs, green walls, pocket habitats, community gardens, street trees, window boxes and planters, as well as bird boxes, bat boxes and bee hives, creating valuable habitats for wildlife and improving the experience for people living in, working in and visiting central London.

Employment: the UK’s relative economic stability is predicated on the ability to accommodate the needs and aspirations of people of all ages, with a broad range of cultural, economic and social backgrounds. Providing opportunities for the development of skills, work placements and local employment helps establish your business in local communities whilst stimulating growth and development. At our CrownGate Shopping Centre in Worcester, for example, we team up with Barclays and the University of Worcester to offer students the opportunity to run their own pop-up store over the summer. In the West End, through our Recruit London programme, a number of dedicated Workplace Coordinators are responsible for sourcing, selecting and training local people to fill jobs in Westminster. The programme has successfully placed over 1000 people in full time employment since it began, and has since expanded to two of our regional shopping centres.

Events really bring retail destinations to life. In 2015, our Thrive Summer Series toured ten of our retail parks nationwide as part of a healthy living campaign, with over 40 local fitness and community groups participating. From zumba and karate to personal training and gymnastics, Thrive introduced a new element to the out

of town retail experience and ensured ongoing community participation. In the core West End we have a year-round programme of events which form a key part of our tourism and destination marketing strategy.

Furthermore, research has shown that the effect of creating traffic-free space has significant impact on the environment with NO2 concentrations reduced by 75%.

Public involvement and local engagement has long been a feature of the property world, but striving to create a retail destination with

community spirit at its heart can at times feel a little at odds with its commercial objectives. However, if you get it right, public participation should be an integral part of your business’s DNA; the social impact, support and goodwill of local audiences cannot be ignored (do so at your peril!).

Working with your local community bolsters your brand presence, giving you an ever stronger sense of identity, place and purpose. n Adam is Head of Brand & Marketing, The Crown Estate.

Putting communities at the heart of retail destinations

Adam Bray MTS

1.8 London, Janet Echelman, © Matthew Andrews