WHAT do you do when your pub or restaurant is not allowed any customers? What do you do when your visitor attraction is not allowed any visitors?
Adaptability is the name of the game and Visit Buckinghamshire & The Chilterns has been inspired by stories of how people are learning new ways to run their businesses in Buckinghamshire.
“Our tourism and hospitality businesses have felt the full force of Covid-19, with their cash flow turned off overnight and just before the start of the Easter holidays,” says tourism development manager Lucy Dowson.
“It will take many months, perhaps years for the industry to recover. However, this has not deterred some of our businesses who have changed their business model as a result of Covid-19 and in many cases have become the lifeline of the local community.”
Some have not survived the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. “Our heart goes out to them but for those who have been able to adapt, we salute you and support you,” says Lucy.
The county’s historic properties, including Bletchley Park, Stowe House near Buckkingham and Waddesdon Manor and Estate – the jewel in the crown of the National Trust – have each come up with resourceful ways to enjoy their respective offer virtually.
Bletchley Park, the former home of the Second World War Enigma Codebreakers, is preparing to celebrate the 75th VE Day on May 8 with home celebration packs. These include instructions on how to make bunting to festoon your house and street on the day and revel in some uplifting wartime spirit to which to the community spirit we are seeing across the UK currently is being compared.
Stowe House is under renovation but you can watch videos of the amazing work by the Stowe Preservation Trust on their social media and on the Visit Bucks channels.
And Waddesdon Manor has a selection of virtual tours and online resources so you can explore the beautiful house, exhibitions and gardens in all their Spring splendour
Visit Buckinghamshire & The Chilterns is working with local and national partners to put measures in place to help the visitor economy survive and bounce back when the time comes. It will feed into a national consultation on the impact of Covid-19 on the tourism and hospitality sector and is asking local businesses to fill in a short survey. Responses will be relayed to the government.
