Anglesey Abbey’s Winter Lights event was the first of its kind in the National Trust.

 

When I was appointed General Manager in 2010 it was obvious the property needed to increase visitor numbers and drive more income during the winter months. A more consistent flow of people was essential for the property to plan and deliver its conservation work.

 

At this stage the property already had 260,000 visitors a year, so there was an opportunity within this existing audience as well as with new people attracted by a ticketed evening event.

 

The property had an already well established winter walk which provided fully accessible paths leading to a circular walk around the site. With the ability to offer a fresh pair of eyes I could see Anglesey had what was needed to do something special that would offer a completely different experience to visitors.

 

There was no budget, but I wanted to deliver something for winter 2011 so I led my team to research and develop an opportunity that would meet our objectives. Winter Lights was born! We didn’t mention Christmas as the market was already saturated, but I knew that providing an experience with lights so close to the festive season had the potential to engage many people.

 

The first event was a slightly DIY version that cost £8,000 and broke even, but it gave me the confidence to commit, allocating budget for subsequent years, and giving us an ambition to grow. By 2019, the event was an annual sell-out, welcoming around 18,000 people and delivering profit that has made a huge impact on the property’s finances. We also saw the positive knock-on effect of increasing day-time visits.

 

Natasha Woollard, Assistant Director of Operations, said: “Amanda’s recognition that there was an opportunity to build a more significant winter business at Anglesey Abbey transformed the property’s offer. At the time Winter Lights was ambitious. Amanda took a risk and the long-term effect on property’s visitor numbers and income has been nothing but positive.”

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www.nationaltrust.org.uk/anglesey-abbey-gardens-and-lode-mill