a
TSE Research
40 Chamberlayne Road
Eastleigh
Hampshire
SO50 5JH
Tel: 02380 625459
Email: pkhan@tourismse.com
TSE Research is a Market Research Society Company Partner. All MRS Company Partners and their
employees agree to adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and MRS Company Partner Quality Commitment
whilst undertaking research
South Downs Visitor & Tourism Economic Impact
Study
Technical Report on the Research Findings
January 2013
b
Authors
Dr Parves Khan, Head of Research
Sergi Jarques, Senior Research Executive
Kerry Rayment, Senior Research Executive
Sarah Regan, Senior Research Executive
This document has been formatted to allow for double-sided printing
c
CONTENTS
1
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................1
1.1
Status of this report...............................................................................................1
1.2
Study background.................................................................................................1
1.3
Research methods................................................................................................2
1.4
Outline of the report ..............................................................................................3
2
BUSINESS PROFILE..........................................................................................................4
2.1
Introduction ...........................................................................................................4
2.2
Accommodation Sector ........................................................................................5
2.3
Visitor Attraction Sector ........................................................................................8
2.4
Activity holiday and excursion operators ..............................................................9
2.5
Activity based businesses ....................................................................................9
2.6
Other businesses used by visitors......................................................................10
3
BUSINESS PERFORMANCE...........................................................................................12
3.1
Introduction .........................................................................................................12
3.2
Business performance ........................................................................................13
4
BUSINESS ATTITUDES & ASPIRATIONS ......................................................................17
4.1
Introduction .........................................................................................................17
4.2
Awareness of South Downs National Park designation .....................................17
4.3
Motivations for running a business in the South Downs.....................................18
4.4
Future development plans ..................................................................................18
4.5
Sustainable business practices ..........................................................................19
4.6
Support from the South Downs National Park Authority ....................................20
5
RESIDENT SURVEY RESULTS ......................................................................................22
5.1
Introduction .........................................................................................................22
5.2
Awareness of South Downs National Park designation by residents.................23
5.3
Frequency of visits to the South Downs by residents.........................................24
5.4
Profile of residents visiting the South Downs .....................................................25
5.5
Group composition of visits ................................................................................26
5.6
Time of day most visited .....................................................................................26
5.7
Location most visited ..........................................................................................26
5.8
Profile of residents not visiting the South Downs ...............................................27
5.9
Reasons for not visiting ......................................................................................29
5.10
Actions which may encourage visits...................................................................30
6
VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS ..........................................................................................31
d
6.1
Introduction .........................................................................................................31
6.2
Visit type .............................................................................................................32
6.3
Awareness of South Downs National Park designation by visitors ....................34
6.4
Visitor profile .......................................................................................................35
6.5
Overnight visits ...................................................................................................38
6.6
Factors influencing visits ....................................................................................39
6.7
Mode of transport used.......................................................................................40
6.8
Frequency of visits..............................................................................................42
6.9
Group composition..............................................................................................44
6.10
Visitor expenditure ..............................................................................................45
6.11
Sources of information used to plan visits ..........................................................46
6.12
Impact on health and well-being.........................................................................47
6.13
Overall satisfaction with visit...............................................................................48
6.14
Organised and educational visits to the South Downs .......................................48
7
VIEWS ON TOURISM IMPACTS......................................................................................50
7.1
Introduction .........................................................................................................50
7.2
Resident and visitor views on tourism impacts...................................................50
7.3
Resident and visitor views on actions to influence visitor behaviour..................52
7.4
Resident and visitor support for visitor pay back scheme ..................................53
7.5
Visitor issues impacting on land managers ........................................................54
7.6
Visitor issues impacting on nature conservation and cultural heritage sites ......55
8
VOLUME & VALUE...........................................................................................................56
8.1
Introduction .........................................................................................................56
8.2
Estimating visitor volumes ..................................................................................56
8.3
Tourism economic impacts.................................................................................61
9
CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................64
9.1
Importance of tourism to South Downs economy...............................................64
9.2
Monitoring the future...........................................................................................66
9.3
Types of data collected.......................................................................................67
10
APPENDICES ...................................................................................................................68
10.1
Appendix 1: Copy of Business Attitude Survey Questionnaire ..........................68
10.2
Appendix 2: Copy of Resident Survey Questionnaire ........................................71
10.3
Appendix 3: Full set of responses for last location visited by county .................73
of residence ..............................................................................................................................73
10.4
Appendix 4: Full list of responses from residents of actions which will encourage visits
76
e
10.5
Appendix 5: Copy of Visitor Survey Questionnaire ............................................77
10.6
Appendix 6: Full list of visitor place of residence split by county........................80
10.7
Appendix 7: Full list of visitor place of residence split by country ......................81
10.8
Appendix 8: Full list of responses on reasons for visiting split by visit type .......82
10.9
Appendix 9: Full list of responses on information uses used split by visit type..84
f
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Activity-Based Businesses
A business which provides goods for sale which are used for the
pursuit of leisure/recreational activities
Activity Holiday & Excursion
Operators
A business which arranges holidays and days out involving outdoor
pursuits (i.e. Walking, cycling, fishing)
Commercial Accommodation provider
An accommodation provider which charges for the letting of
rooms/units/pitches
Country House Hotel
A Country House Hotel with ample grounds or gardens, in a rural or
semi-rural situation with an emphasis on peace and quiet.
Day Visitor
A visitor who travels into the Park area from home or holiday
accommodation outside the South Downs
Guest Accommodation
This is made up of:
B&B - Accommodation provided in a private house, run by the
owner and with no more than six paying guests.
Guest House - Accommodation provided for more than six paying
guests and run on a more commercial basis than a B&B. Usually
more services, for example dinner, provided by staff as well as the
owner.
Farmhouse - B&B or Guesthouse accommodation provided on a
working farm or smallholding.
Inn - Accommodation provided in a fully licensed establishment. The
bar will be open to non-residents and provide food in the evenings.
Holiday Maker
A visitor staying away from home for leisure purposes
Hotel
Formal accommodation with full service. Minimum five guest
bedrooms but more likely in excess of 20.
Leisure Visit
A leisure visit is defined as the use of a particular site for leisure
purposes by a visitor or resident
Other Businesses
Business used mainly by local residents but which will receive a
proportion of their turnover from visitors.
Staying Visitor
A visitor staying in accommodation in the South Downs National
Park for tourism purposes, including leisure, business and/or social
purposes
Visitor Attractions
The attraction must be a permanent established excursion
destination, a primary purpose of which is to allow access for
entertainment, interest, or education; rather than being primarily a
retail outlet or a venue for sporting, theatrical, or film performances.
It must be open to the public, without prior booking, for published
periods each year, and should be capable of attracting day visitors
or tourists as well as local residents.
Visitor Day
A day spent by the day or staying visitor during which they visit a
site or sites within the South Downs
1
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Status of this report
1.1.1 This document provides a critical part of the evidence base for the South Downs National
Park Management Plan and the Local Development Framework. The evidence base will
also feed into the revision of The State of the National Park Report and the development
of performance indicators. For brevity, in this report we refer to the South Downs National
Park as the South Downs.
1.2 Study background
1.2.1 The South Downs National Park Authority commissioned an extensive programme of
tourism research underpinned by the sustainable tourism development model – VERB
(Visitor, Environment, Residents and Business). TSE Research, the research arm of
Tourism South East, carried out the Visitor, Resident and Business elements. The
Environmental aspect was covered in another research study carried out by Acorn
Consultancy and has been reported separately. Relevant findings from the Environment
Study are also discussed in this report.
1.2.2 The evidence gathering required updating an earlier study carried out in 2003/4 which
involved a thorough analysis of the supply and demand of tourism within what was then
the proposed South Downs National Park boundary. As with the 2003/4 study information
is provided on key performance indicators including the volume and value of tourism
visits, visitor profiles, visitor expenditure, and the range and type of tourism businesses
operating in the South Downs.
1.2.3 The research carried out by TSE Research involved two main components:
Business Study: a business audit was carried out to provide a current baseline of
visitor-related businesses located in the South Downs against which future growth
can be measured. A number of surveys were also carried out among businesses to
identify business performance, future development plans, and the steps needed to
encourage sustainable growth. This component covered the Business aspect of the
VERB model.
Visitor / Resident Surveys: the second element involved a survey among a sample
of visitors and residents to gain insights into the profile of those who use the South
Downs, how they use it, their experience of visiting, and to gain a better
understanding of the impacts that visits to the South Downs have on local
communities. This component of the research covered the Visitor and Resident
aspect of the VERB model. Data gathering also included a survey among schools
and organised groups to gain further insights into how the South Downs is used by
different types of groups.
2
1.2.4 One of the primary aims of the research was to gather data which can be used to assess
and calculate the economic impact of tourism activity in the South Downs. This has
involved updating and enhancing the 2003/4 econometric model (used for the previous
study) to quantify the annual number of visits to the South Downs and the impact of
expenditure made during those visits on local business turnover and jobs.
1.2.5 As most of the research/survey instruments used in this study are similar to the 2003/4
study, we are able to provide a comparative assessment of ‘then’ and ‘now’ with regard to
the supply of businesses, visitor profiles, South Downs usage patterns, and other key trip
features
1
. New to the 2011/12 study is a more qualitative examination of local peoples
and local businesses perceptions of tourism impacts on the South Downs.
1.3 Research methods
1.3.1 The Business Study involved three research methods. To provide a quantified picture of
businesses which directly and indirectly benefit from visitor expenditure, an audit of
tourism and other related businesses located in the South Downs was undertaken. The
audit was supplemented with a business performance survey to help with our
assessment of the level of leisure demand in the South Downs. The performance survey
took the form of gathering monthly room/unit occupancy from a sample of commercial
accommodation providers and monthly visitor admission figures from visitor attractions
located in the South Downs. The third method involved an online consultation with a
sample of businesses to identify issues around business growth, future development
plans, and attitudes to sustainable management.
1.3.2 The Visitor and Resident Survey both involved face-to-face on site interviews using
random sampling. The visitor survey was carried out on-site across the South Downs in
locations used for recreational and leisure/holiday purposes. The resident survey was
mainly carried out in the main towns and villages located in the South Downs. Both
surveys gathered data on the demographic profile of visitors
2
, key features of the visit,
e.g. frequency of visits, activities undertaken and average expenditure, visitor
satisfactions and visitor views on tourism impacts.
1.3.3 As with the 2003/4 study, two further surveys were added to provide supplementary data
to help provide insights into the way particular groups use the South Downs. A survey
was carried out among schools and colleges to establish the number and type of visits to
the South Downs by educational establishments. A survey was also was undertaken
among clubs, societies, and other social groups to assess the level of organised visits to
the South Downs. However, the response rates to both these additional surveys were
very low and thus the results yield only limited insights.
1
Boundary changes should be noted when making comparisons with the 2003/4 study findings.
2
The Resident Survey also gathered data on the demographic profile of non-visitors and reasons for not visiting.
3
1.3.4 Volume and Value Modelling - data from the aforementioned surveys was used to
provide an indicative estimate of the total volume of leisure visits to the South Downs,
and an estimate of business turnover and jobs sustained by visitor spending in the South
Downs.
1.4 Outline of the report
1.4.1 Having briefly presented the background of the study, in the following three chapters we
present our findings from the Business Survey. In Chapter 2 the scale and nature of the
visitor economy in the South Downs is discussed based on the available data. In Chapter
3 we present a review of business performance and in Chapter 4 we focus on business
views on issues which are germane to this study, such as business needs, supports, and
perceptions on sustainable business management practices.
1.4.2 Chapter 5 presents results from the Resident Survey, providing insights into how the
South Downs is used by local residents, and the reasons why a small minority of
residents do not visit the South Downs for leisure visits.
1.4.3 In Chapter 6 we present the results from the visitor survey shedding light on visitor
profiles, trip features and how visitors experience the South Downs. This includes a
limited set of findings from the survey among a sample of educational establishments and
local social groups, clubs and societies.
1.4.4 Survey results on local people’s views on the positive and negative impact of tourism
flows into the South Downs, and how they think the South Downs can be enjoyed in a
sustainable way is presented in Chapter 7. A comparative assessment of tourism
impacts from the perspectives of visitors and land managers/managers of conservation
and cultural heritage sites is also provided, drawing on the Visitor Survey and the
Environment Survey.
1.4.5 Chapter 8 presents the results of our bespoke modelling to estimate the annual volume
of visits to the South Downs, and the impact of visitor spending on local business
turnover and jobs.
1.4.6 In the concluding chapter, Chapter 9 we present a set of recommendations about on-
going visitor monitoring and identify areas for further research.
4
2 BUSINESS PROFILE
2.1 Introduction
The audit drew on data from a number of sources including searches through Yellow
Pages, Thomson’s Business Directory
3
, the Office of National Statistics Business
Demography publications, the Our Land website, as well as more general searches using
the Internet. To ensure that only business located in the South Downs were included in
the audit, a list of post-codes covering the South Downs boundary was used to cross-
reference the location of each businesses using a specialist computer software package
4
.
2.1.1 The audit is presented in an Excel database. It includes the name of the business,
address, and contact details. For accommodation businesses we include additional
information on the number of bedrooms and bed spaces, self-catering units, or camping
and caravan pitches available. Each data set is categorised by type. There are 5
categories – Commercial Accommodation providers (hotel, B&B/guest house, including
inn with rooms, self-catering, camping/caravan, hostels), Visitor Attractions, Activity-
Based Businesses, Walking & Activity Based Holiday Operators, and Other
Businesses which receive a proportion of their turnover from visitor expenditure. The
latter include pubs, café/tea shop, petrol stations, bakers and clothes shops
5
(See
Glossary for description of the categories).
2.1.2 Accommodation providers located in the South Downs were contacted to gather
performance data on average room occupancy. A similar exercise was also carried out
with visitor attractions to establish current levels of visitor admissions. Data was gathered
via an online monthly form.
2.1.3 Comparative data from the 2003/4 study is available for the accommodation and visitor
attraction sector
6
. However, it is important to note differences in the boundaries between
the proposed park boundary as presented in 2003/4 and the final park boundary agreed
in 2010 which includes Lewes. This should be borne in mind when making comparisons
of the South Downs business demography between these two periods.
3
This is a licence held database TSE Research has access to.
4
Only businesses whose registered premises are physically located within the boundaries of the South Downs are included in
the audit. B&Bs, self-catering cottages, attractions and so on close to the South Downs boundary are not included.
5
The other business category does not represent a definitive list of all businesses a visitor may use during their visit to the
South Downs. It is based on a list of the main industry sectors which are recognised in official government statistics (e.g. Office
of National Statistic publications on tourism-related employment) as receiving an important proportion of their income from out-
of-town visitors. These include the catering, retail and transport sectors.
6
In the 2003/4 study Walking & Activity Based Holiday Operators were not included in the audit. A list of Other Businesses
including pubs, tea-room, petrol filling stations, cycle shops and so on were included in the earlier audit but it included
businesses located in towns which had close proximity to the proposed boundary. Given the wider geographical area covered
and changes to the boundary we are unable to compare changes in these categories.
5
B&B / Guest
House
58%
Hotel
8%
Caravan &
Camping
Sites
7%
Self-catering
26%
Youth
Hostels
1%
Fig. 1: Distribution of accommodation type
B&B /
Guest
House
16%
Hotel
21%
Caravan &
Camping
Sites
55%
Self-
catering
6%
Youth
Hostels
2%
Fig. 2: Distribution of bedspace capacity
2.2 Accommodation Sector
2.2.1 In total there are 386 accommodation businesses in the South Downs, of which nearly
two-thirds (58%) are Guest Accommodation (B&B, Guest House including a few pubs
with rooms). The majority are small businesses, which on average offer 3 bedrooms
accommodating up to 6 guests (average bedspace of 6)
7
.
Table 1: Total commercial accommodation stock in the South Downs
Visitor Accommodation Number of businesses
Total bedspaces
Guest Accommodation
222 1,415
Hotel Accommodation
31 1,860
Caravan & Camping Sites
28 4,845
Self-catering Accommodation
100 552
Youth Hostels
5 216
All visitor accommodation
386 8,888
2.2.2 In terms of bedspace capacity (total number of people the accommodation sleeps), the
largest accommodation sector is the caravanning and camping sector, which accounts for
over half (55%) of total accommodation bedspace in the South Downs. The actual
number of caravanning and camping sites in the South Downs is actually relatively small,
accounting for only 28 businesses, but capacity is relatively high. The high capacity level
is driven by three large campsites. These are the Ecclesden Farm campsite in Angmering
which can accommodate up to 1,140 people, the Morn Hill Caravan Club campsite near
Winchester which can accommodate up to 1,014 people and the Rookesbury Park
Caravan Club Site in Wickham which can accommodate up to 684 people.
2.2.3 Most campsites are however, much smaller. Five of the 28 caravan and camping sites
offer only five pitches which can accommodate up to 20 people.
2.2.4 There is some representation of hotel chains in the South Downs. These are the Holiday
Inn in Winchester and two budget chain hotels – the Premier Inn in Arundel and another
7
Larger guest accommodation include the Burpham Country House guest accommodation which offers 10 rooms
accommodating up to 19 guests, the Horse & Groom Guest House in East Ashling which offers 11 bedrooms, accommodating
up to 22 guests, and Wetherdown Lodge in Petersefield which offers 15 rooms accommodating up to 35 guest.
6
East Sussex
26%
Hampshire
31%
West Sussex
43%
Fig. 3: Distribution of commercial
accommodation
East Sussex
19%
Hampshire
38%
West Sussex
43%
Fig. 4: Distribution of commercial
bedspace
one in Petersfield. The remaining hotels are independents, of which the Amberley Castle
Hotel near Arundel is a luxury boutique hotel.
2.2.5 A quarter (26%) of all visitor accommodation in the South Downs is self-catering cottages
and houses. These are relatively small businesses, with most offering 2 bedroom
accommodation, and thus only account for 6% of total accommodation bedspace in the
South Downs (see Fig. 2 on previous page).
2.2.6 There are five youth hostels in the South Downs, three in East Sussex and two in West
Sussex, run by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA). A new 68 bed youth hostel next to
the Southease Railway Station in East Sussex is planned to open in the spring of 2013.
2.2.7 Overall, the largest concentration of commercial accommodation providers and of
commercial bedspace is in the West Sussex part of the South Downs (accounting for
43% of accommodation businesses and 43% of total bedspace).
2.2.8 The number of accommodation businesses and bedstock is lower in the East Sussex part
of the South Downs compared to the other two main counties (representing 26% of
businesses and 19% of bedstock). The vast majority of accommodation stock in East
Sussex is located outside the South Downs. A regional audit of commercial visitor
accommodation carried out by TSE Research in 2009 and updated in 2011
8
established
that there is just over 24,000 bedspaces in East Sussex. Notwithstanding potential
changes to capacity since then, based on these figures, the volume of bedspaces
available in the East Sussex part of the South Downs represents 7% of the county’s total
bedspace stock.
2.2.9 On the other hand, the volume of bedspaces available in the West Sussex part of the
South Downs represents 18% of West Sussex’s total bedspace stock (around 22,000
bedspaces available in West Sussex). The volume of bedspaces available in the
Hampshire part of the South Downs represents 10% of Hampshire’s total bedspace stock
(around 35,000 bedspaces available in Hampshire).
8
Report:
Meeting the data deficit: Baseline evidence gathering study for the South East Regional Development Agency.
Confidential findings, not for publication.
7
2.2.10 The distribution of accommodation stock by type of provider across each of the three
main counties in the South Downs is presented in Tables 2 and 3.
Table 2: Commercial accommodation stock distribution in South Downs by county
B&B / Guest
House Hotel
Caravan/Camp
Sites
Self-
catering
Youth
Hostels
No.
%
share
No.
%
share
No.
%
share
No.
%
share
No.
%
share
East Sussex 44 20% 7 23% 7 25% 37 37% 3 60%
Hampshire 85 38% 9 29% 9 32% 18 18% 0 0%
West Sussex 93 42% 15 48% 12 43% 45 45% 2 40%
Total 222 100% 31 100% 28 100% 100 100%
5 100%
Table 3: Commercial accommodation bedspace distribution in South Downs by county
County
B&B / Guest
House
Hotel
Caravan/Camp
Sites
Self-
catering
Youth
Hostels
No.
%
share No.
%
share
No.
%
share No.
%
share
No.
%
share
East Sussex 331 23% 405 22% 630 13% 200 36% 122 56%
Hampshire 492 35% 643 35% 2,091 43% 109 20% 0 0%
West Sussex 592 42% 812 44% 2,124 44% 243 44% 94 44%
Total
1,415 100% 1,860 100%
4,845 100% 552 100%
216 100%
2.2.11 The previous audit carried out in 2003/4 identified 290 commercial accommodation
businesses, suggesting an increase of 96 businesses since then. A review of changes
since 2003/4 reveals an increase in all accommodation types with the exception of youth
hostels which have remained at 5 establishments, though as mentioned earlier, a new
youth hostel is planned to open in East Sussex in 2013.
Serviced
1
Up from 196 businesses to 253 businesses
Self-catering
Up from 78 businesses to 100 businesses
Camping/caravanning
Up from 11 businesses to 28 businesses
Youth hostels
Same at 5 businesses
1
Note serviced refers to guest accommodation and hotels
2.2.12 Whilst it is important to factor in business closures during the period between the two
studies and the changes to the boundary, our review suggests that growth has mainly
been in the Hampshire part of the South Down, particularly in East Hampshire where the
towns of Petersfield, Liss and Alton have seen the opening of a number of new
accommodation businesses since 2003/4.
8
East Sussex
Up from 91 businesses to 98 businesses
Hampshire
Up from 38 businesses to 121 businesses
West Sussex
Up from 161 businesses to 167 businesses
2.2.13 In Winchester, the most recent addition to stock which falls within the boundary of the
South Downs is the Holiday Inn which opened in 2010 adding 141 additional bedspaces.
2.3 Visitor Attraction Sector
2.3.1 There are over a 100 visitor attractions and places of interest in the South Downs. Given
its special landscape it is not surprising to find that the most common visitor attractions
and places of interest are nature reserves (24%), historic properties / sites (24%) and
forest / woodland areas (14%). There are, however, a range of different types of
attractions to draw visitors to the South Downs including art galleries, museums, vineries,
gardens, and two large zoological parks; Drusillas Zoo in East Sussex and Marwell
Zoological Park in Hampshire
2.3.2 The 2003/4 study identified a total of only 60 attractions within the proposed boundary as
it was then. However, the earlier study adopted a more restrictive definition of what
constitutes a visitor attraction and did not include nature reserves such as Birling Gap in
East Sussex and forest / woodland areas of special interest such as the Forest of Bere in
Hampshire. This makes it difficult to assess changes to the scale and nature of visitor
attractions in the South Downs between the two study period.
2.3.3 Moreover, as with the case of visitor accommodation, any assessment as to whether
there has been any increase in the number of visitor attractions since 2003/4 is
complicated by the fact that the new Park boundary is larger than the proposed boundary
in 2003/4.
Table 4: Total no. of visitor attractions based in South Downs
Visitor Attractions Number
Proportion
Nature reserves 29 24%
Historic properties/sites
1
28 24%
Forest and Woodland 17 14%
Farm attractions 6 5%
Gardens 6 5%
Art galleries 5 4%
Country parks 5 4%
Museums 5 4%
Educational 4 3%
Potteries 4 3%
Vineyards 4 3%
Leisure centres 2 2%
Steam railway attractions 2 2%
Zoological parks 2 2%
Total 119 100%
Note:
1
includes historic houses, castles, monuments and a chapel
9
2.3.4 As with the earlier audit, two community leisure centres - The Grange in Midhurst and
The Taro Centre in Petersfield are included. Both are used mainly by local residents and
are thus not ‘visitor attractions’ in the strict sense of the term. They are included to show
the range of recreational services available in the South Downs.
2.3.5 Around 61% of the visitor attractions and places of interest in the South Downs are free
to visit.
2.3.6 Of the 119 attractions and places of interest identified, 49 (41%) are located in the West
Sussex part of the South Downs. A third (37 attractions / places of interest) are located in
the East Sussex part of the South Downs, and the remaining 33 (28%) are located in the
in the Hampshire part of the South Downs (see Fig. 5).
2.4 Activity holiday and excursion operators
2.4.1 In addition to commercial accommodation and visitor attractions, the study identified 21
holiday and leisure day excursion operators which provide activity based day trips and
overnight holiday trips in the South Downs.
2.4.2 These are mainly walking and cycling holidays and days out and include Celtic Tours
based in Chepstow and Footpath Holidays based in Wiltshire. Of these 21 operators, 11
are also based in premises in the South Downs. This includes Footpaths of Sussex
based in Steyning and Walk & Cycle Britain based in Petersfield.
2.4.3 There are a number of other leisure operators which provide special day excursions in
the South Downs including hot air balloon rides and boat trips which will have a role in
bringing visitors to the South Downs.
2.4.4 The audit identified 8 hot air ballooning companies which arrange flights from various
locations across the South Downs. Of these, however, only one company, The British
School of Ballooning is based in the South Downs.
2.4.5 Beaufort Charters, based in Newhaven and Arundel Boat Yard & Riverside Tea Garden
in Arundel, offer short boat trips to visitors.
2.5 Activity based businesses
2.5.1 The audit also involved identifying businesses located in the South Downs which provide
more regular recreational and sporting experiences (i.e. paragliding centres, riding
schools and golf courses) which have an important role to play in drawing visitors to the
area (see Table 5, Fig.6).
2.5.2 In total 44 activity-based businesses were identified. Of these, the most common,
accounting for half of all businesses are equestrian centres offering riding courses. The
second most common activity-based business are golf courses (45%).Two paragliding
10
East Sussex
25%
Hampshire
32%
West
Sussex
43%
Fig. 6: Distribution of activity-based businesses
centres, one located in Lewes and one located in Alton also fall within the boundary of
the South Downs.
2.5.3 The largest concentration (43%) of these activity-based businesses are located in the
West Sussex part of the South Downs. A third a based in the Hampshire part of the
South Downs and a quarter are based in the East Sussex part of the South Downs.
Table 5: Total no. of activity businesses based in South Downs
Activity based businesses Number
Proportion
Equestrian centre/riding schools 22 50%
Golf courses & clubs 19 45%
Paragliding centres 2 5%
Total activity-based businesses 44 100%
2.6 Other businesses used by visitors
2.6.1 Visitor spending is not confined to the hospitality sectors of accommodation, attractions
and other businesses offering recreational services. Whilst visiting a destination a wide
range of goods and services will be purchased by visitors including bus and taxi fares,
petrol from filling stations, food and beverages from cafes, tea-rooms, restaurants and
pubs, cycle hire and retail items from corner shops to high-street fashion chains.
2.6.2 To get a measure of the range of businesses available in the South Downs which receive
a proportion of their turnover from visitor expenditure, the audit included a wider range of
‘Other Businesses’. In total 357 ‘Other Businesses’ which provide goods and services
used by visitors were identified
9
.
2.6.3 However, it should be noted that this does not provide a comprehensive list of every
businesses located in the South Downs which a visitor may use. For example, a visitor
may purchase a stamp from a post office during their holiday, but post offices are not
included in the audit. The choice of businesses to include under ‘Other’ has been based
on the list of the main industry sectors which are recognised in official government
statistics (e.g. Office of National Statistic publications on tourism-related employment) as
receiving an important proportion of their income from out-of-town visitors. These include
the catering, retail and transport sectors.
2.6.4 Most of these other businesses are food and beverage businesses (63%) and a quarter
are retail shops. Smaller numbers include angling/fish tackle shops, cycle shops/cycle
hire, taxi services and petrol stations. The distribution of ‘Other Businesses’ across the
9
This is lower than the number of Other Businesses identified by the 2003/4 audit. The earlier study identified 578 are retail
businesses used by visitors, 280 businesses in which visitors purchase food and drink, and 60 transport related businesses
such as petrol filling stations, bus operators and taxi companies. However, the geographical area of study was much wider
than the new study as it included towns which were in close proximity to the proposed boundary of the time. Given this and the
boundary changes since then, we are not able to directly assess any changes to the supply and nature of the Other Business
category.
11
East Sussex
28%
Hampshire
39%
West
Sussex
33%
Fig. 7: Distribution of other businesseses
South Downs reveals that over a third are in the Hampshire part of the South Downs, a
third are in the West Sussex part of the South Downs and 28% are in the East Sussex
part of the South Downs.
Table 6: Total number of ‘other businesses’
Other businesses Number
Proportion
Food & beverage businesses
1
224 63%
Retail shops
2
87 24%
Transport businesses
3
30 8%
Angling & fishing shops 9 3%
Cycle shops/hire 7 2%
Total 357 100%
Note:
1
includes bakeries, coffee shops, pubs, bars restaurants
and takeaways
2
includes corner shops, off-licences, clothes shops, gift shops,
and farm shops
3
includes taxi services and petrol stations
12
3 BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 There are two broad performance indicators which help us gauge the health of the
tourism industry. For accommodation providers, this is average room occupancy and for
visitor attractions, this is admission numbers.
3.1.2 In addition to being key performance indicators, they are important data sources for
calculating visitor volumes to a destination. In this study, occupancy data will play a role
in helping us establish the number of commercial bednights spent in the South Downs
10
.
3.1.3 Attraction admission figures are not often a direct driver in calculating visitor volumes to a
destination, as the footfall data alone is unable to distinguish between visits made by
local residents and those made by visitors from further afield. In this study, the attraction
admission figures are first and foremost provided as an indicator of the size and
performance of the attraction sector in the South Downs.
3.1.4 That said the nature of the “attraction sector” in the South Downs causes some problems
as to how to measure performance. Given many of the places to visit in the South Downs
are open access areas (i.e. nature reserves and forest/woodland areas); it is not possible
to monitor visitor volumes on a regular and consistent basis. A few country parks (e.g.
Seven Sisters Country Park and Queen Elizabeth Country Park), and forest/woodland
areas (e.g. Alice Holts Forest) do keep a record of visitor footfall which are based on
metered car park occupancy rates.
3.1.5 In addition to these three attractions, our admission figures are from attractions which
keep records of visitor numbers which include art galleries, museums, historic houses,
and sites, potteries, vineries, farm and steam railway attractions. Admission figures were
not collected for the two community leisure centres, given that they are mainly used by
local residents, many of whom are members of the centres and will use them very
frequently.
3.1.6 Using a combination of direct contact with the attraction (online survey forms) to gather
admission figures and supplementing that data with admission results from those
attractions which participate in Visit England’s quarterly England Attraction Monitor
11
, we
were able to gather admission figures for 59 attractions located in the South Downs.
3.1.7 We were less successful in gathering occupancy data from the South Downs’s
accommodation businesses. Of the 386 businesses identified, only 17 agreed to provide
10
However, the main data source will be the results of the visitor survey. Overnight visitors were asked about the type of
accommodation they stayed at, the length of the stay and their total expenditure on accommodation costs. The occupancy data
will be used to help us calibrate the overall figures for overnight trips.
11
Between 650 to 680 attractions take part in this survey quarterly. The survey is carried out by BDRC on behalf of Visit
England and include a mix of attraction types.
13
occupancy data. Of these 4 were self-catering cottages and 13 were serviced
accommodation businesses (guest accommodation and hotels).
3.1.8 To supplement the data, we drew on the results from the England Occupancy Survey
12
.
Occupancy results from a further 18 South Downs serviced accommodation providers
were available from the national survey. In total, data was available from 31 serviced
accommodation providers, representing 8% of total stock.
3.1.9 On their own, the unit occupancy results from the 4 self-catering establishments do not
provide a reliable measure of performance so we have drawn from a number of other
data sources to help assess likely occupancy rates
13
. Occupancy data was also obtained
from the Camping and Caravanning club for the sites they manage in the South Downs.
3.2 Business performance
Serviced accommodation
3.2.1 Occupancy data was gathered to cover a 12 month period from July 2011 to June 2012.
The results, albeit based on a very small sample established that occupancy rates for
serviced accommodation (hotels and guest accommodation) vary significantly throughout
the year from as low as 10% for some in January to a high of 94% for some in August.
3.2.2 The average annual bed occupancy rate
14
for serviced accommodation in the South
Downs based on the results of the 31 businesses providing data is 49%. Although the
results are based on a small sample, the performance figure is similar to that achieved at
regional level.
3.2.3 The average for the South Downs is higher than that reported in the last study eight years
ago. The average bed occupancy reported in the 2003/4 study for serviced
accommodation was 43%
15
.
12
The England Occupancy Survey (EOS) commissioned by Visit England measures, on a monthly basis, levels of bedroom
and bedspace occupancy across the serviced accommodation sector
13
This has involved calibrating the results against the Cumbria Self-Catering Survey which produces monthly unit occupancy
data. Apart from the Cumbria research there is a serious dearth of information on the performance of the non-serviced sector
including self-catering and camping / caravanning parks. No survey exists at national level which gathers this data and since
the demise of Regional Development Agencies, funding has ceased at regional level to gather local occupancy data.
14
Average bed occupancy is calculated using the following formula:
Average annual bed occupancy = (annual number of beds occupied / annual number of beds available) x 100
15
The 2003/4 serviced accommodation occupancy results were based on 19 establishments.
14
Table 7: Serviced accommodation average bed occupancy
Month/year Regional average
South Downs average
Annual
48% 49%
June 2012
58% 60%
May 2012
53% 52%
April 2012
49% 52%
March 2012
38% 33%
February 2012
37%
35%
January 2012
33%
36%
December 2011
38%
33%
November 2011
41% 30%
October 2011
46% 41%
September 2011
55% 55%
August 2011
61% 70%
July 2011
63% 69%
Non-serviced accommodation
3.2.4 The results from the four self-catering accommodation businesses indicate that three out
of the four have low levels of seasonality and relatively high unit occupancy rates. During
the shoulder and off-peak tourism season, bed occupancy is around 50% to 55%, whilst
during the busy peak summer months it rises to highs of 80% to 90%, providing an
average occupancy among all four businesses for the previous 12 months of 65%. Based
on the establishments providing data in 2003/4, average bed occupancy recorded for
self-catering establishments was 63%.
3.2.5 Given the small sample it is not possible to draw conclusions about the self-catering
sector from this small sample alone. Comparative data from other rural destinations
outside the South East such as Cumbria indicate self-catering average bed occupancy of
around 40%
16
. There is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that average bed
occupancy of 40% is far too low for South Down businesses. Whilst there is no regional
self-catering occupancy survey to provide a benchmark, our destination level tourism
impact studies
17
which involve gathering occupancy data from both serviced and non-
serviced commercial accommodation sectors across the South East indicate that annual
average self-catering average bed occupancy rates range from 45% to 65%.
3.2.6 Touring and static caravan occupancy rates were gathered from the Camping and
Caravanning Club who manage two sites in the South Downs. The year to date figures
indicate that performance has been lower this year (an average of 50% pitch occupancy)
compared to the relative boom seen in this sector since 2009 – the year of the
‘staycation’, when average rates of 60% to 80% were seen across different parts of the
region.
16
Data obtained from Research Department, Cumbria Tourism
17
The Cambridge Model tourism impact studies we carry out for local authorities across the South East involve gathering
occupancy data from commercial accommodation providers in the area. Thus we have some insight into the performance of
the self-catering sector in rural areas based on the data gathering process for the Cambridge Model studies.
15
3.2.7 Drawing on the data received for the camping and caravanning sector, we estimate that
the average bed occupancy rate
18
for the 12 month study period was around 45%.
Feedback from several camping and caravan sites revealed that weekends have been
particularly busy with many being fully booked. Weekdays have generally been quieter,
suggesting that camping and caravan holidays have tended to be shorter in 2012,
perhaps as a result of the inclement weather conditions seen this year.
3.2.8 The general national picture of the non-serviced accommodation sectors of self-catering
and camping/caravanning, is that both sectors have experienced strong occupancy since
2009 due primarily to the effects of the economic downturn leading to reduced spend on
overseas holidays with British consumers choosing to economise by holidaying at home.
Results from the United Kingdom Tourism Survey revealed that 29% more camping trips
were taken in Britain during 2009 than in 2008 and it was the first time camping was more
popular than B&Bs. The Camping and Caravanning Club also reported a 23% rise in
bookings during 2009 when compared to 2008. This strong occupancy continued into
2010 and 2011. It is highly likely that the wet weather conditions over the summer this
year curtailed the growth which was expected for 2012.
Visitor attractions
3.2.9 Visitor admission data was gathered to cover a 12 month period from July 2011 to June
2012. Data was available for 59 attractions.
3.2.10 Based on the results of the 59 attractions in the sample, the five largest attractions
receive between 250,000 to 499,999 visitors a year. Four attractions are in the tier below,
each receiving between 100,000 to 249,999 visitors a year.
3.2.11 The majority of attractions (52%) are, however, relatively small attractions receiving less
than 4,999 visitors a year.
Table 8: Annual attraction admission numbers
Visitor numbers Number of attractions
Proportion
250,000 – 499,999
5
9%
100,000 – 249,999
4
7%
50,000 – 99,999
7
12%
25,000 – 49,999
2
3%
10,000 – 24,999
5
9%
5,000 – 9,999
5
9%
Less than 4,999
31
52%
Total
59 100%
3.2.12 To provide further contextual data, we have drawn on results from the quarterly England
Visitor Attractions Monitor
19
for the period Q3 2011 (July to September) and Q4 2011
18
We have made a further calculation to convert pitch occupancy into bed occupancy by estimating the average group size
occupying each pitch.
19
England Attractions Monitor commissioned by Visit England is an online panel to help provide the attractions industry with
rapid feedback on current trends in visits to attractions in England. Every quarter around 700 attraction submit performance
data.
16
(October to December) and Q1 2012 (January-March) and Q2 (April to June) to cover the
same time-frame as this study.
3.2.13 The results indicate that overall 2011 was a positive year for outdoor attractions,
especially gardens and wildlife attractions. This perhaps reflects the unusually warm, dry
weather in the shoulder periods (September, October and November 2011) which had
the effect of extending the season for many. Outdoor attractions bounced back from a
generally challenging year in 2010 when the summer period was characterised by dull
weather. Conversely, museums / art galleries experienced a challenging year with visits
down -1% overall, following a positive year in 2010.
3.2.14 Trading conditions, however, change again by the second quarter of 2012 (April to June).
Overall we see a buoyant first quarter, with Easter and May-June this year posing more
challenging conditions, despite the holidays and Jubilee celebrations. Visitor numbers are
reported to have fallen by an average of 2% in the April to June period. A colder, wetter
Easter and June this year was reported to be the primary factor.
3.2.15 We see a more divided market picture this year with some attractions benefiting at the
expense of others, most notably outdoor attractions losing visitors to indoor alternatives,
at the hands of the weather. This pattern continues into the summer months of July and
August this year which experienced one of the wettest periods in the last 100 years
according to weather records. Moreover, the Olympics caused disruption in trading
conditions for a number of London based attractions and attractions close to London.
However, we have no evidence of any impact the 2012 Games had on visitor admissions
for attractions based in the South Downs.
17
4 BUSINESS ATTITUDES & ASPIRATIONS
4.1 Introduction
4.1.1 As part of the evidence gathering process, accommodation businesses and visitor
attractions were invited to take part in an online consultation to shed light on a number of
business issues. These included establishing the extent to which sustainable business
practice is used, how this can be expanded, and what hurdles prevent progress. It also
covered business owners and managers motivations for ownership (financial, lifestyle),
future business development plans (expansion, status quo or retraction), and knowledge
of the national park status of the South Downs and its purpose.
4.1.2 In total 398 businesses
20
were invited to take part in the survey of which 94 responded,
providing a response rate of 24% which is typical for online surveys. However, of the 94
businesses taking part in the online survey, 74 (77%) are visitor accommodation
businesses, 16 are visitor attractions and 4 businesses left their details anonymous so it
is not possible to identify which sector they represent. The skew towards accommodation
businesses clearly reflects their dominance in the overall sample invited to take part in
the survey – 331 accommodation businesses and only 51 visitor attractions. Thus, the
overall response rate is consistent with the proportions in the overall sample. See
Appendix 1 for a copy of the questionnaire.
4.2 Awareness of South Downs National Park designation
4.2.1 Awareness of the South Downs status as a national park is high among the businesses
located there. All but 6 businesses were aware that their business is located within the
South Downs National Park boundary. Of these, 72% believed designation was granted
due to its special landscape needing protection.
Table 9: Reasons for of National Park designation
Base 88
It has special habitat/wildlife which needs protection 2%
It has special archaeological interest which needs protection 0%
It has special landscape which needs protection 72%
It has a unique cultural heritage which needs protection 2%
It needs special management to promote sustainable growth 1%
Not sure reasons for designation/don’t know 12%
Other responses 10%
Total 100%
20
The Business Survey was carried out in March 2012 and the record of 389 businesses is based on the
number of accommodation businesses, visitor attractions, and activity-based leisure operators (e.g. golf courses,
riding schools) identified up to that point in time. This included 331 accommodation businesses, 51 visitor
attractions and 16 other activity based businesses. Since then, the record of South Down businesses has
growth, see Business Audit for final list.
18
4.3 Motivations for running a business in the South Downs
4.3.1 The results from the online consultation indicate that for commercial accommodation and
attraction businesses, the main motivations for running a business in the South Downs
can be grouped into two broad camps.
4.3.2 There are those businesses which are essentially ‘life-style’ focused. They are run by
people who seek to combine their desire to live in the South Downs to enjoy its special
landscape and at the same time earn an income from doing something they enjoy. This
includes both people who have moved to the South Downs from outside the area to start
a business, as well as local residents who let out a room in their own home.
“I moved here 12 years ago and was attracted by the beauty of the area/countryside and
also nearness to the coast. The area has retained much of its historic architecture and
has good road and rail links, restaurants, pubs. Therefore seemed a good bet to start a
B&B and people from all over the world are captivated by the pretty villages, country
pubs, walks etc”.
“It is an area of outstanding natural beauty and we were lucky enough to live here and
have a home that allowed us to do Bed and Breakfast”.
“Originally we moved here for personal reasons, and people kept asking us if they could
stay, so we opened up as a B&B. We are in a beautiful area and there are plenty of
walkers and cyclists that need accommodation”
“We were looking for a bed and breakfast nationally and we found the price was right for
us here and also it was a lifestyle choice for us. It had to be somewhere we wanted to
live and this area filled those criteria”.
4.3.3 The second camp appears to be more driven by pure financial imperatives.
“I have been in this area for 77 years. In the 1990s the Government said we had to
diversify in order to exist. That's when we started our business”.
“I was living in this area when my marriage broke up and I was able to use my home to
do bed and breakfast. I love the area myself and when I took on another property, I
stayed in the same area”.
“
It was purely financial. We had the room to do B&B and we needed the money”.
4.4 Future development plans
4.4.1 Half of all businesses surveyed had no plans to grow or downsize their operations.
However, 40% of businesses did have plans for growth whilst 1 in 10 were looking to
scale down.
19
4.4.2 Our research suggests that the reasons for businesses remaining as they are or seeking
to scale down vary from legal constraints (planning permission being denied/building
being a listed building), personal issues (happy with current performance and see no
need to change, or nearing retirement and seeking to scale back), to increased
competition and the impact of the recession on reducing trade.
4.4.3 Those seeking to expand, on the other hand, are often already operating at full capacity
and needed more staff or more space or both. A quarter reported that their future
development plans are connected to the recent National Park designation, seeing this as
an opportunity to attract more custom.
4.4.4 Just over half (56%) believe that the fact that the area is a National Park has benefited
their business.
4.5 Sustainable business practices
4.5.1 The vast majority of businesses surveyed were positive about sustainability. Forty-four
percent of businesses reported that sustainability is ‘Somewhat important’ whilst around a
half of all businesses (49%) reported that sustainability is ‘Very important’ to their
business.
4.5.2 Whilst nearly all businesses have taken a number of actions at the level of business
operations, ranging from using local suppliers, recycling, growing their own produce (see
Table below), only 14% are part of a green accreditation scheme, the most popular one
being the Green Tourism Business Scheme.
Table 10: Actions taken to make business more sustainable
Base 88
Energy usage, e.g. heating/lighting/vehicle fuel/car sharing/carbon neutral & offsetting 79%
Waste, e.g. the reduction, reuse, and recycling of waste produced by the business 88%
Water - e.g. the reduction and recycling of water produced by the business 59%
Grow, e.g. make own produce/ use locally produced food and drink 71%
Information provision, e.g. provide visitors with information on public transport and local
wildlife 76%
Sustainable build - e.g. solar panels or using local building materials 41%
Promotion of other local businesses, e.g. use local suppliers and recommend local
businesses 93%
NB: multiple responses permitted
4.5.3 Some businesses reported to find it hard to be sustainable (around 44% of the total
sample) with the main hurdle being the initial high set up costs (67% mentioned this
hurdle), followed by the difficulty in directly measuring the benefits in a tangible way (33%
mentioned this hurdle).
20
4.6 Support from the South Downs National Park Authority
4.6.1 Marketing/promotion of the South Downs and the provision of visitor information are the
two top actions businesses believe the South Downs National Park Authority should take
to develop the South Downs in a way which helps their business to grow.
Table 11: How the SDNPA can add value
Base 94
By providing visitor information 74%
Promoting more sustainable tourism 68%
By developing customer focused training to ensure visitors experience a high level of
customer care 38%
By working in partnership to market and promote the South Downs as a place to visit
and stay 80%
By facilitating partnership working between local businesses to develop the unique offer
at particular sites
53%
By developing a strong Brand for the area 61%
Other 28%
NB: multiple responses permitted
4.6.2 A number of other areas requiring action are also identified, including influence on
planning policies:
“There could be better planning. There are a lot of restaurants, tea shops and cafes
opening in this area, which is all added competition”.
“Relax planning controls on converted farm buildings, as very isolated properties are not
easy to let for holidays during winter”.
4.6.3 The provision of funding:
“Provide funding for local businesses”.
“By subsidising facilities for visitors to use like shops, toilets, car parking and litter bins.
Things like taps for dog water”.
4.6.4 As well as further engagement with businesses:
“By being pro-active in seeking the ideas and needs of local businesses. By making
personal contact with local business owners. By providing information about proposed
publicity, managing visitors, vision for the SDNP”.
“By being proactive and increasing their visibility. They are difficult to contact and so far
have kept a low profile”.
4.6.5 Businesses see the South Downs National Park Authority as having an important role in
providing support and information / advice on sustainability and taking a lead role in
developing the South Downs as a sustainable tourism destination.
21
Table 12: Role SDNPA can play in encouraging sustainable business practices
Base 88
By providing support and information / advice on sustainability 71%
By subsiding green accreditation schemes such as Green Tourism Business Scheme 58%
By taking a lead role in developing the South Downs as a sustainable tourism destination 75%
By taking a lead role in developing a local sustainable tourism network 64%
Other 21%
NB: multiple responses permitted
4.6.6 A few businesses wanted help with grants to support implementing sustainable business
practices.
“Provide subsidies or access to grants for energy efficiency etc”.
“Provide funding to help with set up costs”.
“Provide funding to encourage sustainability”.
“Make it easier for businesses to access information on grants for sustainable practices.
We just don't have the time to wade through the bureaucracy of this”.
22
5 RESIDENT SURVEY RESULTS
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 The 2003/4 study established that parts of the South Downs are used extensively by local
residents for outdoor recreational activities, such as walking, running, cycling, walking the
dog etc. The earlier study also established that a small but significant minority of local
residents did not visit the South Downs for leisure-related purposes. To enable an
assessment of the scale and nature of informal visits by local people, a face-to-face
survey of local residents was undertaken.
5.1.2 The survey provided information on the frequency, location, expenditure and other
characteristics of informal visits by local residents, and in conjunction with the site visitor
survey data, enabled estimates to be made concerning the value and volume of this
group of visitors. Data was also gathered from non-visitors to identify reasons for not
visiting.
5.1.3 The interviews involved a degree of qualitative enquiry which focused on the views and
experiences of local communities with regard to how they perceive the impact of visits to
the South Downs in terms of positive and negative elements of those visits. These
perceptions of visitor impacts are reported separately in Chapter 6. See Appendix 2 for
copy of Resident Survey Questionnaire.
5.1.4 Local residents were interviewed close to home mainly in town and village centres across
the South Downs.
5.1.5 In total 244 interview sessions were carried out between the hours of 10 am to 6pm, over
a selection of weekdays and weekends. Over the 12 month interview period (from
October 2011 to September 2012) 2,356 local residents were personally interviewed
across 20 different locations. Some locations were very quiet with footfall adversely
affected by the inclement weather seen over the survey period (i.e. near Stanmer Park,
East Dean village and Ebernoe Common). Town centre footfall was generally higher in
the larger towns with higher resident populations and plenty of local amenities leading to
higher samples (i.e. Lewes, Midhurst and Petersfield).
5.1.6 The number of interview sessions arranged per site was strongly influenced by the
weather (e.g. the need to provide shelter during wetter periods) and anticipated
throughput of residents to maximise contact rates.
5.1.7 Overall there was even representation of interview locations across East Sussex,
Hampshire and West Sussex parts of the South Downs. However, the Hampshire
locations were simply a lot busier and consequently far more residents were interviewed.
23
Table 13: Resident survey sample distribution
Interview location No of interviews days Sample achieved Proportion
Alfriston village centre
12 102 4%
Amberley village centre
10 108 5%
Arundel town centre
20 103 4%
Chanctonbury
4 25 1%
Ditchling village centre
10 79 3%
East Dean village centre
8 25 1%
Ebernoe Common
3 22 1%
Lewes town centre
25 239 10%
Liss town centre
8 64 3%
Midhurst town centre
25 297 13%
Petersfield town centre
25 367 16%
Petworth village centre
18 109 5%
Pulborough Brooks Reserve
14 55 2%
Selborne village centre
8 116 5%
St Catherine's Hill
22 350 15%
Near Stanmer
2 16 1%
Near Stansted House
7 80 3%
The Trundle
6 35 1%
Twyford Locks & Meadows
11 87 4%
West Meon village centre
6 77 3%
Total achieved sample
244
2,356 100%
5.2 Awareness of South Downs National Park designation by residents
5.2.1 Awareness of the South Downs National Park is relatively high; 86% of local residents
reported that they are aware. Around half of those who reported to be unaware of the
South Downs (representing 18% of the total sample), did in fact visit the South Downs
when shown a map of locations (see section 5.3).
5.2.2 Of those aware of the national park status, the two top reasons they believe lay behind
the designation are ‘It has special landscape which needs protection’ (46%) and ‘It has
special habitat/wildlife which needs protection’ (42%).
5.2.3 Just over a fifth (22%) reported that they are not sure why the South Downs had been
designated as a national park.
Table 14: Reasons for National Park designation
Reasons for designation Base = 2,026
It has special landscape which needs protection 46%
It has special habitat/wildlife which needs protection 42%
It has a unique cultural heritage which needs protection 24%
Not sure of reasons for designation/Don't know 22%
It needs special management to promote sustainable growth 21%
It has special archaeological interest which needs protection 19%
Note: Multiple responses permitted
24
9%
16%
23%
21%
13% 13%
4%
9%
19%
24%
20%
13% 13%
2%
7%
15%
24% 24%
13% 13%
4%
7%
14%
21% 21%
14% 14%
7%
Every day
Several times a week
About once a week
About once a month
About twice a month
Once over this season
Visit unlikely this
season
Fig 8: Frequency of visit among residents by season
SPRING
SUMMER
AUTUMN
WINTER
5.3 Frequency of visits to the South Downs by residents
5.3.1 Overall, 93% of local residents interviewed visit the South Downs for leisure/recreational
purposes. This includes a small minority of local people who initially reported they were
unaware of the South Downs National Park, but when shown a map of the area covered,
did indeed visit one or more locations, sometimes on a regular basis and had not simply
associated the area as part of a national park.
5.3.2 Around a quarter of local residents visit the South Downs every day to several times a
week (9% every day and 16% several times a week). Another quarter of residents visit at
least once a week. Just over a fifth (22%) of local residents visits the South Downs for a
leisure visit at least once a month.
5.3.3 For around 13% of the resident population who reported that they visit the South Downs
for leisure purposes, the frequency of visits was estimated to be about twice a month, or
24 times a year. A further 13% of local residents reported that they visited the South
Downs for a leisure visit at least once each season, or at least 4 times a year.
Table 15: Frequency of visits by residents across the seasons
Frequency of visits Base = 2,208
Every day
9%
Several times a week
16%
About once a week
24%
About once a month
22%
About twice a month
13%
Once over each season (4 times a year)
13%
Can't recall frequency – varies
4%
5.3.4 Interestingly, the pattern in the frequency of visits by local residents does not change in
any significant manner over the different seasons of the year, reflecting the South Downs
popularity for all year round activities such as walking and dog walking.
25
AB
31%
C1
37%
C2
22%
DE
10%
Fig. 9: Socio-economic background of residents
visiting South Down
White -
British
97.5%
White -
Other
2.0%
Black or
Black African
0.2%
Mixed
Ethnicity
0.2%
Asian
0.2%
Fig. 10: Ethnic background of residents visiting the
South Downs
5.4 Profile of residents visiting the South Downs
5.4.1 A typical resident who visits the South Downs for informal leisure visits will be white
British, over 45 years, will not have a health related issue and will be from an ABC1
household. This profile appears almost unchanged compared to the findings of the
2003/4 study.
5.4.2 The survey found that only 1% of residents who visit the South Downs for
leisure/recreational purposes are from non-white ethnic groups, the same proportion as in
2003/4. This finding, however, needs to be set against the generally very low proportion
of residents living in towns and villages in the South Downs who are from the ethnic
minorities. Only 11 residents with a Black or Ethnic Minority origin were interviewed.
5.4.3 The majority of residents who visit the South Downs (68%) are from ABCI socio-
economic households. A third (32%) are from C2DE socio-economic households.
Table 16: Age profile of respondents visiting the South Downs
Age band Base = 2,208
18-24 years 4%
25-34 years 8%
35-44 years 15%
45-54 years 20%
55-64 years 22%
65-74 years 22%
75+ years 9%
Total 100%
Note: the age reported is of the respondent and not the ages of all those who they typically visit the South
Downs with
5.4.4 The age groups of residents who stated that they visited the South Downs for
leisure/recreational purposes indicates a relatively mature profile. Almost three-quarters
(73%) of all residents visiting the South Downs are aged between 45 years to 75 years
and over. However the vast majority of visits are taken with other people, mostly family
members and this will include children (see Table 17).
26
60%
10%
17%
11%
5%
1%
Various
times/flexible
Early morning
Mid morning to
after lunch
Afternoon
Early evening
Late evening
Fig. 11: Time of day South Downs visited
5.5 Group composition of visits
5.5.1 Just over a quarter of visits are made alone (27%) and a similar proportion of visits
involve the company of a spouse. Just under a quarter are family outings involving
parents and children (23%) and other family members and a similar proportion are visits
made with both family and friends (22%).
Table 17: Who visits are taken with
Who visited with Base = 2,208
Alone 27%
With spouse 27%
Family/Children 23%
With family & friends 22%
Group of friends 6%
Members of club/association 2%
Work colleague 0%
Students 0%
Other 0%
5.6 Time of day most visited
5.6.1 The survey found no evidence that any particular time for visiting during the average day
is more popular than other times. In total 60% of residents stated that they visit the South
Downs at various times.
5.7 Location most visited
5.7.1 The majority of visits are taken to locations close to home. When asked to name the
location of the place last visited in the