DoDoncaster meets…Visit Doncaster
Gone are the days when Tourist Information Centres (TICs) were just musty box rooms filled with curling bus timetables. Ours is home to a friendly bunch in a prime spot on the High Street, just waiting to make your Doncaster days an experience to remember. We’re celebrating English Tourism week by asking the Visit Doncaster TIC team to share their favourite local adventures and the strangest requests they’ve had from visitors…*To note: no pigeons were harmed during the making of this post*
Q. Welcome to DoDoncaster! Very excited to welcome you in English Tourism Week. Can you tell us what’s happening this week and how our readers can find out more?
All year round our events are promoted via www.visitdoncaster.com and the Visit Doncaster Facebook, Twitter & Instagram pages.
There’s always a lot happening in Doncaster and this week we’ve got a great mix of Arts, Heritage and Sporting events:
- Sleeping Beauty — Cast ( Sunday 18th & Monday 19th March)
- Exhibition of St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne — Fishlake Village Hall (18th — 24th March)
- Vincent Van Gogh — A New Way of Seeing — Cast (Tuesday 20th March)
- Nina — Queen of Bohemia — Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery (Friday 23rd March)
- The 32Red Lincoln & Spring Family Fun Day — Doncaster Racecourse (24th-25th March)
- Doncaster Rovers Belles vs. Tottenham Hotspur Ladies FC — Keepmoat Stadium (Sunday 25th March)
Q. Is there a typical day for the TIC and what does it look like?
We are primarily an information service, offering visitors and residents advice and information on enjoying their time in Doncaster, the wider Yorkshire area and the UK. We welcome around 60,000 people into the TIC every year!
We do this with leaflets, brochures and posters (in our window) for local events, attractions and wider area destinations within the UK. We answer the enquiries face to face, over the phone, via email or through social media.
We give visitors information on: where to stay, where to eat and drink, events and attractions plus directions, information on services e.g. internet cafés, parking, transport links e.t.c.
For residents and visitors we sell National Express and First Bus tickets, we also book local coach companies David Goodfellow & CAB day trips and holidays. We sell local event tickets including Mansion House Afternoon Teas and those further afield like Great Yorkshire show (where Visit Doncaster will also be hosting a stand in July).
Q. Have you had any unusual requests?
Yes, a few!
- Where is the Jeremy Clarkson Museum?
- Providing the BBC with event posters for the back drop of the ‘Open all hours’ set.
- Meeting the couple who had travelled from Japan to visit Doncaster as that’s where their beloved late Yorkshire Terrier was born!
- What can I do with this Pigeon, (lady with a live pigeon in her hand with a broken wing)?
- We are often asked about Louis Tomlinson and where he went to school e.t.c.
Q. Wow, that pigeon. Take it as a compliment that you obviously all look trustworthy and full of knowledge. Talking of…you recently published the 2018 Doncaster Visitor Guide (which is excellent by the way!). I was surprised at how much I got out of it as somebody who already lives here. I particularly liked this year how each section is introduced by people with local knowledge. What hidden treasures do Doncaster locals usually miss?
Many locals are unaware of our connections to the Pilgrim fathers, particularly William Bradford from Austerfield. In 2020 it’s the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims setting sail. We will be celebrating in Doncaster and are expecting many overseas visitors.
Although most people are aware that we have a Mansion House, many have not been inside. There are many opportunities to visit the Mansion House on one of their Open Days, Tea Dances or to enjoy Afternoon Teas.
I bet many people are also unaware that the Civic Trust do heritage walks around the Town Centre, Bawtry and Tickhill. They are very entertaining and informative, Andy & Steve the hosts are former TIC assistants, so are very knowledgeable.
Q. So it’s clear we have some gems already but how do you see our offer for tourists and residents changing as Doncaster continues to invest in regeneration?
Keep an eye out on http://www.visitdoncaster.com/news for what’s new in Doncaster…..
- The Yorkshire Wildlife Park is set to expand hugely in the next couple of years with a new hotel on site too. The second phase of the Great Yorkshire Way will serve the new entrance!
- The Library, Museum and Art Gallery and Archives are all moving into a new Heritage Centre on the site of the old girls High School, this will be a great improvement to the existing buildings they are currently held in.
- The Market is undergoing a massive regeneration, with Corn Exchange repairs and a complete renovation of the Wool Market.
- The front of the railway station is set for a massive face lift, to offer visitors a smarter welcome.
- The new Hilton Garden Hotel is set to open later in the Summer, this will offer guests a fabulous view of the race course from their restaurant and rooms. It will be great to have another well-known brand to add to our existing range of quality accommodation.
- The wider team are involved in organising some great new and improved events for this year, including the Tour De Yorkshire, Delicious Doncaster Food Festival, Steam Punk, Dragon Boat Challenge, Pride, September Festival, Mayflower 400, DN Night Light Festival and Countdown to Christmas.
Q. I notice that you’re now a bit of a shopping destination! People can visit you to buy from small local businesses is that right? Can you talk us through who you stock?
We love to sell a wide range of local products including: The Famous Doncaster Butterscotch, Jam Horse, Jam, Ajika, Chilli Paste, Whites Oils and lip balms, local alcohol from Doncaster Brewery, Brittain’s Vodka’s and Gin’s and McCallumm’s Gins. Local Artists John Bird (Bawtry Studio) and Gareth Watlings birds, We are BlokHeds cards plus local jewellery by Anne Robertson and John Michael. Our customers like to buy local too so we also aim to buy as many of other products as close to home as possible.
Q. Lots of names we know and love there; it must be great to introduce local products to new people. What else do you all love about your jobs?
- The diversity, there’s never a dull moment!
- The lovely people we meet from all over the world (sometimes google translate is required).
- Realising how many destinations all over Europe we book through National Express (sometimes a map is required).
- Working with great knowledgeable colleagues, we get on really well and always find a smile.
- Making a real difference to people’s experience of Doncaster.
- Promoting our town and encouraging Civic Pride, reminding people of all the great attractions and beautiful buildings and countryside we have locally.
- Every time visitdoncaster hold a Visitor Economy Group meeting we need to use a bigger venue, it’s great working with such positive Attractions and Hoteliers in the Tourism sector who aim to promote Doncaster as a great place to visit and stay.
- The regular customers and characters we meet on a daily basis, some who pop in for a little chat and we know they haven’t chatted with anyone else that day. We always have a kind word and a smile.
Q. Any exciting stuff coming up that you can share with our followers?
Visitdoncaster have just created two new promotional videos:
- 3 minute version www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFBSEKNMFTQ&feature=youtu.b
- 30 second version www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOnWU0mSXiQ
Plus Lots of great events on the horizon:
- Tour De Yorkshire (3rd — 4th May) followed very closely by the
- Delicious Doncaster Food Festival (4th — 7th May) (that will be a very busy weekend for us)
- Steam Punk at the Mansion House (May)
- Dragon Boat Challenge at Lakeside (7th July)
- Leger festival obviously in September and then
- Mayflower 400 Illuminate (November)
- DN Light Night St Georges Minster (November)
- Countdown to Christmas (November)
Q. Lots happening this year! We’re asking all our followers to share their #DontDissDonny stories. Can we hear yours?
- I love that you don’t need to walk far before you are in a green space where ever you live in Doncaster — perfect for dog walking!
- I love that we are located next door to the magnificent Mansion House and still have plenty of Georgian buildings standing in the town centre (why not try one of the Civic Trusts walks with Steve & Andy) to appreciate what we still have in the town centre. They also do Bawtry and Tickhill).
- Sue loves food shopping at Doncaster Market. She also loves that business help each other eg. Reckage in Sprotbrough did the fitting of The Shoe room in Priory Walk and they promote each other.
- Also that the Tea rooms in Sprotbrough are up for a National Award for the renovation of their premises.
- Katrina loves Thai at the Sal and is our expert on local food and restaurants; she also loves collating the literature to go into the TIC.
- Emma loves putting together the weekly “5 of the best events” and the “where in Doncaster” photo quiz on our social media.
- We all love our home town and love telling everyone how great it is!
Visit Doncaster is the friendly home of events, attractions & accommodation in Doncaster for residents, visitors, students & business trips. Their mission? Visit Doncaster! Enjoy! Return! That’s one we can definitely get behind and hope you will too. Pop in and see the team; #YourAdventureAwaits…
