Historic figures from Warwickshire – including knights, princesses and Shakespearean characters – descended on the capital to bring the county’s heritage to life and showcase its top tourist attractions and public transport links.
Representatives from Warwick Castle, Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust, British Motor Museum, the RSC, Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall, and Shakespeare’s England took up residence at London Marylebone station, supported by Chiltern Railways.
The businesses came together to promote Warwickshire as an ideal destination for visitors exploring outside the capital by rail. Chiltern Railways has connections from London Marylebone to Warwick Town, Leamington Spa, and have recently increased the number of direct services to Stratford-upon-Avon, meaning visitors can easily travel from London to Warwickshire in an hour and a half.
Helen Peters, CEO of Shakespeare’s England said, “It was a really successful two days for us – we were able to promote Shakespeare’s England as a destination to visit for both domestic travellers and international tourists visiting London.
“One of our priorities in terms of promoting the region is encouraging visitors to travel outside London and explore all the other attractions and areas that the UK has to offer. Warwickshire is less than two hours from London, so it’s easy for tourists to enjoy for either a day trip or an overnight stay, and it’s also the prefect destination for UK residents looking to visit this historic county.
“Shakespeare’s legacy continues to be one of the primary draws for visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon, but we’re looking to promote all the other exciting attractions outside of that, with two impressive castles in Warwick and Kenilworth, the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, the MAD Museum and many more top attractions, hotels and restaurants.
“Last year there were more than 10 million tourist trips to the area, bringing in £45 million a month to the local economy, and we’re hoping that with a busy peak season this summer these figures will continue to rise.”
David Heathfield, Head of Corporate Affairs at Chiltern Railways said, “We were delighted to welcome historical characters to Marylebone station. We’re proud of the service we provide to our Warwickshire stations with our industry leading performance and satisfaction levels.
“With the recently increased number of services between London and Stratford-upon-Avon, we hope people will be inspired to visit the region and experience all it has to offer.”
