We Are Stardust

Jodrell Bank is an awe-inspiring place. Incongruous in its heart-of-Cheshire location, it is amazing that this 55 year old structure is still at the cutting edge of astro physics. Quite mind blowing! Clearly - "Big Brains Live Here"!

It's therefore quite appropriate that my dear colleague Phil Reddy is now commemorated here. Phil was responsible for guiding the redevelopment of the Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre through its planning and funding stages a couple of years ago. Who was to know at the time of the battles with cancer that he would fight so courageously.

So last week, at the kind invitation of the fabulous Teresa Anderson, a small group of Phil's family, friends and colleagues gathered in the Jodrell Bank Arboretum to plant a tree in Phil's memory. It was a sad but lovely occasion and an entirely appropriate memorial to a wonderful, intelligent man.

Tourism Minister Opens Bath Visitor Centre

Tourism & Heritage Minister John Penrose MP performed the official opening ceremony for Bath’s newly refurbished Visitor Information Centre yesterday (12 March), at the start of English Tourism Week. With more than 535 000 visitors a year, our Centre ranks second busiest in the country.

The Visitor Information Centre occupies a prime location close to the Abbey and the Roman Baths and is the first port of call for the 4.5 million who come each year. Tourism contributes over £357 million to the local economy of Bath and North East Somerset, providing more than 8000 jobs and 10 per cent of the total employment in the city.

The new-look Centre now houses the Bath Box Office and the Visitor Information Centre under one roof, providing a one stop-shop for visitors and residents to buy tickets for the many festivals and events, tours and attractions in Bath as well as displaying visitor information and offering a booking service for accommodation.

This smart new facility is the face of tourism in Bath and now reflects the quality of what’s on offer in the city!