Case studies

Well known for its attractions such as the Pleasure Beach, trams, the Tower and illuminations, Blackpool attracts 18 million visitors per year and generates £1.5 billion in visitor spend. Following a decline in its visitor numbers, the town began to reverse its fortunes from 2014 onwards through a sustained programme of investment.

In 2013, Bradford Libraries commissioned a review of its library service. This was a major piece of work and involved considerable consultation with library users and non-users and other stakeholders.

The visitor economy is a key component of the economy of Brighton and Hove and continues to be an important driver. The sector supports around 1 in 5 jobs in the city and generates visitor expenditure of around £886 million.

Broxbourne Borough Council runs its own sports provision through the Broxbourne Sport service. Over the last 10 years the service has gone from an operating loss to a trading budget surplus, which is used to improve the facilities and increase participation. This has already saved more than £700,000 from the council’s capital programme budget.

Cambridge has a strong international profile aided by easy access from London. Its tourism and hospitality sectors have been growing strongly in recent years with visitors having increased by 50 per cent since 2013.

Manchester Camerata, one of the UK’s leading chamber orchestras, works within health and social care to make music with community groups across Greater Manchester.   

Central Bedfordshire council undertook a spatial modelling exercise to better understand the challenges of a increasing local population and plan how it could meet the increasing demand.

Gainsborough’s Mayflower 400 cultural programme was a wide ranging arts-led approach to engage the public with a shared heritage connecting them to people and places across the world.

During the pandemic, Reading Borough Council’s Arts & Venues service championed theatre, by staging live and digital performances, and maximised opportunities to improve our customers’ experience.

The Church Street Regeneration Programme aims to improve the quality of life of the people who live and work in the area and will bring around 1,750 high quality new homes, greener and more pedestrianised spaces, and new community services to support the health and wellbeing of the local community.