Planning Solutions Consulting has worked as visitor attraction consultants on a range of visitor attraction and visitor centre projects from aquariums through to farm parks, museums, heritage centres, castles, steam railways, science discovery centres, nature reserves and forests.
We work with both existing attractions and new developments. With existing attractions a significant amount of our work focuses on operational reviews and working with client teams to identify new opportunities to enhance the visitor experience, increase visitor numbers, dwelltime and income. For new proposed attractions and visitor centres our work focuses on options appraisals, market assessments, feasibility studies, advising on governance and business planning. We also carry out primary research and prepare (and implement) marketing strategies. One of our directors was responsible for marketing and launching new products at CONKERS for 13 years. Find out more about our visitor centre and visitor attraction projects here.
Our sister company, Planning Solutions Limited, has invested in and manages a discovery centre and a number of other visitor experiences. These include CONKERS a 120-acre woodland experience with two visitor centres in the National Forest, Kent Life – a heritage farm park in Maidstone and the Cotswold Beach and Country Park along with a hotel and three breanded high ropes experiences. From 2010 to 2022 they also used to manage the National Brewery Centre (formerly the Bass Museum), which is integrated within the wider working Molson Coors Brewery site in Burton upon Trent.
We bring direct operational experience of running visitor attractions, (event spaces, activity experiences, cafes, retail, volunteer programmes, membership schemes and education services) and tourist accommodation. This ensures that future planning is based upon real world experience. It means our team understands the challenges faced by operators of visitor and community businesses and how to develop projects which are sustainable, meet the needs of the visitor and community and respond to other needs such as education, learning, volunteering, and contributing towards placemaking and the local economy. As a team, we bring critical analysis and provide robust independent advice.
Our clients have been appreciative of our work: “Planning Solutions Consulting Limited were contracted by Natural Resources Wales to undertake a short exercise examining the potential, opportunities and risks around running visitor centres. We found Planning Solutions Consulting to be efficient and thorough, applying their expertise in a professional manner throughout. They were able to add value for us to the contract, by suggesting new elements. The draft and final reports were of an excellent standard and addressed all aspects of our brief well. Communications throughout – and since – the contract have been great – the team were approachable, reachable and able to answer queries and address new points well.” Roz Owen, Recreation and Access Manager, Natural Resources Wales
Contact us
If you have any questions or would like to discuss our work within the visitor centre and visitor attractions sectors please don’t hesitate to call Richard Linington on 07866 742628 or email richard@pslplan.co.uk