Hopetown Darlington has been awarded 94% in a recent inspection by VisitEngland’s Quality Assured Visitor Attraction Scheme.
The Visiter Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) is a recognised accreditation covering a broad range of attractions including visitor attractions, museums, art galleries, safari parks, gardens, historic houses, theme parks.
Having opened its door a little under a month ago, Hopetown Darlington is the north of England’s newest visitor attraction and celebrates Darlington’s 200-year pioneering railway heritage.
The assessor praised the interpretation in North Road Station Museum, saying “the range of content was superb with the story of the railways and Darlington’s role in this significant time in history retold in creative and imaginative ways to appeal to a wide range of ages and levels of interest.”
The assessor also complemented the redevelopment, saying “The historic buildings have been lovingly restored to a very high standard and brought back into use while retaining many original features such as the Booking Office and Toilets. New additions such as the tower leading to the Locomotive Works and the Experiment have bold, modern designs to complement the railway heritage. Having only been open 3 weeks the standards of decor were excellent throughout.”
In recognition of this award, Natalie Collins, Visitor Experience Manager at Hopetown Darlington said: “that they will continue to review their visitor experience as part of ongoing future planning and feedback from visitors.”
Due to the high scores achieved, Hopetown Darlington will be nominated for three of the prestigious VisitEngland accolades; ‘Welcome‘, ‘Best Told Story‘ and ‘Gold‘. This is a great achievement and reflects the team’s commitment to providing a quality visitor experience. Winners of the accolades will be announced later in the year.
Leona White-Hannant, Development Director said: “Given that we have only been open for two weeks at the time of the visit, it is a fantastic achievement and testament to everyone’s hard work.”
Councillor Libby McCollom, Cabinet Member for Local Services, said: “The feedback from visitors has been incredibly positive in our first few weeks of operation. I am delighted that the high quality of experience, and the work of everyone involved, is being recognised by VisitEngland and hope that more people will visit and enjoy Hopetown Darlington as we build towards our 2025 celebrations”
Visitors can plan their visit by heading to Hopetown Darlington’s website https://www.hopetowndarlington.co.uk/.
Site admission is free. Some exhibitions, events and activities carry a separate charge. Pre-booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.
