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A redundant station building at the head of a deep limestone gorge in a peaceful area of the Peak District had long been considered as an ideal location for a visitor facility. Simon Holt Marketing Services was selected by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to help turn this vision into reality, researching and producing a series of interpretation boards as an integral stage in the development of visitor information in the area.
 Hulme End Station was the northern terminus of the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway, an eccentric rural narrow gauge line closed in 1934. As well as the glorious scenery of the White Peak, the area also offers a remarkable mix of cultural, industrial and natural history. Working closely with the sponsoring authority, our consultants liaised with a wide variety of individuals and organisations - National Park, National Trust, Wildlife Trusts, geologists and historians - to create a comprehensive database from which to extract suitable material for display. The series of interpretive display panels, styled to fit in with the livery of the old railway, form the major display at the renovated station building. The panels incorporate details of each of the old stations and include information about features specific to their locality. These displays can be viewed/downloaded (Adobe Acrobat .pdf files)...
The Manifold Trail, along the route of the old railway, is already an established cycling and walking route. The interpretive boards are aimed at adding a further dimension of interest for visitors to the area.  In addition to the display graphics, Simon Holt Marketing Services has also designed and installed a display cabinet containing a miniature working scale model of a section of the Leek and Manifold Light Railway including Hulme End Station. It shows the railway as it looked in its heyday. (The scale model was created by John Holroyd.) |
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SHMS was also commissioned to produce a full colour leaflet to promote the Manifold Valley. (It's an A3 leaflet folded to 12pp third A4) The leaflet contains a map of the area showing the route of the Manifold Track. It also describes the local wildlife, history and geography of the area and includes details about the local villages and places of interest for the visitor. A new updated edition has recently been produced. To view this document click on the text below (document is split into two parts for ease of downloading/display). Exploring the Manifold Valley (Part 1 - 6pp third A4 leaflet) Exploring the Manifold Valley (Part 2 - 1pp A3 leaflet) You need 'Adobe Acrobat Reader' to view PDF files. If you haven't got Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer you can download it free of charge. Go to our Sample Publications page and click on the Adobe Acrobat logo. |
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Boosting the trade enjoyed by local businesses and encouraging tourists to get off the beaten track and discover this scenic corner of the Peak National Park was the dual challenge set by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council in re-launching their 'Cycle & See' initiative. Experienced consultants from Simon Holt Marketing Services were retained to help develop the growing cycling market. By linking existing resources and attractions, researching suitable routes and developing a new house style for the promotion. An audit of existing publications and resources provided the foundation for the project, backed by an analysis of trends in the market and the uptake of information already available to the visitor. The management aims of the sponsoring authority were also of paramount importance in the development of the project; close liaison with officers ensured that the sites, attractions and locations selected for inclusion had the capacity to cater for the target markets and the facilities to satisfy the demands of the activity break visitor.  |
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info@simonholtmarketing.com |
