Meet the man tasked with maximising County Durham's potential as a tourism destination

WHEN Londoner Ivor Stolliday “retired” to County Durham 25 years ago, he was struck by the stark contrast in what he describes as the “two dominant narratives” of the area.

He'd arrived at a time when Durham was shrouded in the depression and bitterness left in the wake of the miners’ strike and the ruthless dismantling of heavy industry. It was “a narrative of loss” with communities feeling bereft.

Yet Mr Stolliday could see through the gloom to another great narrative, telling the gripping story of Durham’s “incredible heritage, beautiful countryside, and enormous potential”.

“Sometimes, it takes an outsider to see what an area has, and what can be done to make it better,” he says. “I'd settled in Barnard Castle. It was a beautiful market town but no one was noticing. Had it been in the Cotswolds, there'd have been a very different perception.”

“Retirement” plans never had chance to become reality. Indeed, Mr Stolliday’s move to Durham has seen him become a key player in unlocking the potential he had seen as an outsider. For the past seven years, he has chaired Visit County Durham, the organisation charged with maximising the county's potential as a tourism destination. From his arrival during the dark times of industrial unrest a quarter of a century ago, one of his key tasks now is to manage Durham’s new brand – “Place of Light” – and he is again excited by the potential that it offers.

The county council had wanted to improve the image of the county and change perceptions with external audiences, and Visit County Durham embarked upon a project to do that. The theme of light gradually emerged in every corner of the county: in the stunning, starry dark skies of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; the bright cluster of technology companies; the spectacular success of Lumiere, the UK’s biggest light festival; and the symbol of spiritual light that is the magnificence of Durham Cathedral.

“Place of Light fits perfectly and it gives us such great opportunities,” says Mr Stolliday. “It is just about how we tie it all together.”

He still lives in Barnard Castle with wife Deborah – daughter of former Bishop of Durham, Dr David Jenkins – and he fulfils other valuable roles as treasurer of the cathedral and chairman of the Tyne and Wear Archive and Museums Trust. His wealth of experience as a company director with ITV and chief executive of the Dartington Hall Trust, a major arts and educational charity, have been put to good use.

The progress is clear to see from independently-verified statistics: the visitor economy in Durham has grown by £17m in the past year to £777.5m, an increase of 2.25 per cent; 18.6m people visited the county last year; and 10,961 people are employed locally in visitor-focused businesses. That’s up 1.5 per cent on a year ago.

Mr Stolliday is quick to acknowledge the foresight of Durham County Council in stepping in as principal funder of Visit County Durham at a time when other tourism bodies were closing due to the demise of the regional development agencies, such as One North East.

“The county council never underestimated the value of tourism and it deserves great credit for that because it has undoubtedly paid dividends. That said, we are also very successful at raising funds too through grants from European and British funding streams,” he says.

He sees his continuing challenge as putting Durham on the national and international map. “I wanted to raise the county’s profile to the world outside but it's also about making people inside the county feel good too; making them see what an incredible place they live in.”

He points to the impact of a 2014 campaign, supported by the Regional Growth Fund, which led to Durham adverts on the London Underground and giant video screens promoting the county at King’s Cross, Heathrow, Edinburgh, Liverpool and other major travel destinations.

“It had a double benefit because it not only raised awareness outside but gave local people a sense of pride too.”

Mr Stolliday refuses to be drawn into making predictions about whether the growth of the past year can be continued into 2017 but he believes there are “very encouraging signs”. The fall in the value of the pound suggests more people will have “staycations” in Britain, and there will be an increased focus in overseas marketing too. A high priority will be to increase the length of time visitors stay, and that will require more effective joint marketing, improved transport links, more hotels and a greater emphasis on heritage.

“Heritage is the fastest growing sector of tourism in the world and look at what Durham has to offer,” he says, listing examples of the jewels in the crown: Durham City’s world heritage site, The Bowes Museum, the continuing development of Beamish, the county’s unique place in railway history, and the remarkable investment in Auckland Castle by philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer.

“If we’d been told ten years ago what would happen in Bishop Auckland, we’d have thought we were dreaming,” he says. “And thank goodness we’ve woken up to the glorious French chateau, called The Bowes Museum, on the edge of Barnard Castle!”

Whichever way the figures add up, there's much to look forward to in 2017. Lumiere returns from 16-19 November, and Kynren, the biggest outside show in Britain since the 2012 London Olympics, will aim to build on the success of its inaugural year. The experience of the Puy Du Fou, the French inspiration for Mr Ruffer’s audacious vision for Bishop Auckland, suggests that Kynren’s star will glow ever brighter.

Along with many others, it will be a shining example of what the “Place of Light” has to offer.