AWM Pledges Pounds 1.5m As Tourism Washed Off Track
By Ben Goldby; Emma Pinch
Tourist businesses battered by severe flooding will today be thrown a pounds 1.5 million lifeline by Advantage West Midlands (AWM).
The bulk of the cash will be targeted at fully re-opening the Severn Valley Railway – one of the key visitor gateways to rural Shropshire and Worcestershire.
AWM estimates that the floods cost tourism in the region about pounds 20 million.
Currently the railway is only operating a seven mile round trip between Kidderminster and Bewdley – as opposed to the 32-mile round trip between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth – meaning guesthouses and bed and breakfasts are being starved of tourist income.
The SVR launched an appeal fund for the estimated pounds 1.5 million needed to repair parts of the track washed away by floods on 19 June, when two weeks rain fell in 30 minutes, causing landslides in 45 separate locations. By last Friday the fund had raised pounds 69,000.
AWM is spending pounds 1 million on restoring the battered railway and providing pounds 250,000 towards The Engine House visitor and education facility at Highley to increase visitor numbers to the railway.
The final pounds 250,00 tranche will go on a national publicity campaign to tell the country that the rural West Midlands is back open for business.
"We want to salvage what is left of the summer for businesses," said Matt Danks of the development agency.
"The Severn Valley Railway got clobbered by the floods in the West Midlands.
As opposed to Yorkshire and other parts of the country the main area which has been hit is tourism, as opposed to houses.
"The SVR acts as a carrier along Shropshire and Worcestershire, and taking it out of action means we’ve got a lot of people hit by problems.
"A quarter of a million people use the railway every year – it is the gateway to the rural part of the West Midlands and guest houses and B&Bs are suffering."
"It is like the aftermath of the foot and mouth outbreak – the perception can be that the countryside has shut down. We want to claw back some of the revenue lost in those few weeks."
It is the northern end, from Bewdley and beyond, which sustained the brunt of the damage. Work has already been started on some of the worst-affected parts and it is hoped will be finished by October.
John Leach marketing manager for the SVR said the announcement of the funding was hugely welcome. About 75,000 visitors will have lost by the closures by the end of this year.
It is hoped that the stretch from Bewdley to Arley will be opened by the end of July and the line between Bridgnorth and Hampton Lode by the end of August.
Limited road access into parts of the Severn Valley means repairs are not straightforward.
"The money means we can go ahead ordering heavy machinery," said Mr Leach. It is a fantastic help and obviously we are very, very grateful. It acknowledges the role the Severn Valley Railway plays in local tourism. The reaction of the public to our fund-raising drive has been excellent as well, and we hope that will continue."
Local businesses also welcomed the initiative.
Bar manager of The Falcon Hotel in Bridgnorth said they had noticed a drop in trade since June.
"With the smoking ban, the bad weather and the Severn Valley Railway, there’s definitely been a difference. It is hard to tell which has had the biggest effect, but Sunday’s in particular are normally a lot busier.
"We’ve been putting on more bands to try and entice more custom."
"We want to salvage what is left of the summer for businesses Matt Danks
emmapinch@mrn.co.uk
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