City needs more hotels, transport links for UK City of Culture 2013

A GREAT deal of hard work - including the development of better hotel provision, better transport entry points and the better capacity to host major national events - is needed if Londonderry is to successfully maximise its UK City of Culture victory.

Members of the Independent Advisory Panel (IAP) Chaired by Phil Redmond agreed Londonderry's bid for the title of host city was better than the rival Sheffield, Birmingham and Norwich bids but also acknowledged more work was needed to deliver success in 2013.

A document outlining the panel's deliberations on June 16 and June 17 when it heard presentations from the four cities contesting the crown shows members were very impressed by the Londonderry bid but identified areas where improvement was needed.

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Londonderry needed to improve hotel and transport provision and prove capable of hosting big events such as the Brit Awards and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards likely to take place here during its year in the spotlight.

The document notes the IAP's recognition that "there is a great deal of hard work to be carried out from now going forward."

Pinpointing access and infrastructure as a key concern it noted: "While recognising the emphasis placed on the city's connectivity to the wider geographical area, there needs to be very careful planning and co-ordination between marketing, event planning (for audience capacity) and provision of accommodation.

"The city is already taking steps to boost hotel provision. They will also need to work with the airports/entry points (Derry, Belfast International and Belfast George Best Airports), airline and tour operators to offer attractive packages to bring audiences in from outside the Island of Ireland.

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"There will be the need for imaginative solutions to the challenges of hosting large events with audiences concentrated over a few days."

That event planning was also identified as an area of concern will come as no surprise to Sentinel readers who regularly find themselves travelling to Belfast and Dublin to attend major events Londonderry is incapable of hosting.

The IAP believe: "More work is needed on the programme for 2013 to both integrate the large national events that offer an opportunity for the city and also to deliver a really cohesive programme with clear highlights that will attract visitors from far and wide."

The judges also warned the bid's promise to allow other parts of the UK (especially Great Britain) learn from its experience must not be lost sight of.

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"Links to and impact on the rest of the UK (especially Great Britain) – the bid and its ideas have the potential to offer important learning (such as in measuring impacts, or the use of digital technologies in culture) to other cities in the UK," the panel agreed. "There is a danger that this could be lost sight of in the development of the bid."

And whilst the judges praised the leadership shown in support of the Londonderry bid it urged the city to forge ahead as quickly as possible with the appointment of a Director to a Londonderry "Culture Company" to drive the programme.

"Although the city clearly has strong leadership in place and recognises the importance of the key roles in the new Culture Company, such as being at an advanced stage in the appointment of the 'Cultural Broker,' nevertheless the IAP emphasises the importance of moving forward as quickly as possible in recruitment the Director of the Culture Company," the document added.

A final note on the Londonderry bid highlights the panel's view that the city needed to start planning now on how it would ensure the benefits of City of Culture extend beyond 2013.

"Although legacy infuses the whole bid the city needs to start early planning on how to maximise the legacy beyond 2013," the document reads.

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