Tourism questionnaire responses

Swanage Community Plan

Questionnaire data about ‘Tourism’

The following information has been extracted from a Report written by Bournemouth University . It is strongly recommended that the whole report is studied and used as a one of the starting points to further develop community projects in Swanage.

Question 2: What would you like to improve?

Within tourism there were a variety of issues highlighted by respondents. The most popular responses are detailed below;

® Stop the demolition of hotels/more hotels (11)
® Better quality café and restaurants (10)
® Make Swanage more upmarket (6)
® Get rid of amusement arcades (6)
® Rebuild/replace/knockdown Mowlem (5)
® Improve tourist industry (5)
® A Marina (4)
® Rebuild beach/beach facilities (4)

Stop demolishing hotels (Transport Evening)

Less development of hotels into flats (Sea Rowing Club)

Develop open-air environment: cafes etc (Housing Economic Regeneration Survey)

Move away from tacky seaside resort image (Tourist Information Centre)

There was a whole range of individual responses suggesting improvements to tourist facilities and activities including;

Facilities for those who use the seas other than for bathing (Transport Evening)

Mowlem Theatre could be a cultural Arts Centre and a credit to the local community, tourists and its trustees. An imaginative redevelopment is required as soon as possible for this prime site (Tuesday Market)

Wide range of music concerts (Purbeck Gazette)

Raise status of bandstand - lucky to have one (Miscellaneous)

Question 3: What hopes do you have for Swanage in 5-10 years time?

Approximately 1 in 4 comments (149) to this question related to tourism. Within
tourism there were wide ranging views expressed including the fact that Swanage needs to remain a tourist town (17), the Mowlem should be redeveloped (10), Swanage becomes a centre for the Jurassic Coast (9), better management of the beach (8) and the need for a marina (8).

Remain a successful tourist town: not a retirement area (Housing Economic
Regeneration Survey)

Mowlem - architecturally revamped, with decent seats (Miscellaneous Regeneration Survey)

Jurassic coast visitor centre put Swanage on map (Transport Evening)
Within this area there are occasional conflicting views;

Proper marina at Pier end (Purbeck Gazette)

Safe anchorage not marina to south of Bay (Miscellaneous)

Similarly:

More tourist friendly (Housing Economic Regeneration Survey)

Not to grow too much and become too tacky and touristy: remember the locals
(Sailing Club)

As previously mentioned there was a wide range of responses under tourism. Below is a small selection of more individualised comments for consideration;

Facilities for non holidaymakers improved in winter (League of Friends)

More arts and cultural events (Tourist Information Centre)

Museum - centrally placed - history of Swanage (Miscellaneous Regeneration Survey)

Question 4: What one thing would improve your quality of life in Swanage?

Although the majority of responses centred on general improvements in tourism
provision the Mowlem theatre received a number of specific comments (6).

Replace the Mowlem Centre - it's terrible (Tourist Information Centre)

Mowlem Theatre refurbished (League of Friends)

The comments on the Mowlem should be taken in relative terms. There were only 6 comments on the Mowlem in this question compared to 29 for the need for a sports centre/hall. Other responses included; Social/evening events (4), a marina (3), no marina (2) and better/more accommodation for tourists (2).