DUNFERMLINE and WEST FIFE LOCAL TOURIST ASSOCIATION
Meeting - Thursday March 2015
Grill 48
2pm
Minutes
1 Welcome and Attendance – The Chair opened the meeting by celebrating the success of the
CruiseForth Welcome Volunteers in winning the national Thistle Award in the Warmest Welcome
Category. Fife Council had kindly hosted a reception for the volunteers to celebrate their success in
welcoming cruise passengers to Rosyth (and South Queensferry), with the resultant impact on
increased visitors to Dunfermline.
2 Present
Alistair Bruce
Cllr Helen Law
Cllr Mike Shirkey
Jack Pryde
James Lawson
Peter Wilson
Karen Davidson
Linn Williamson
Paul Foley
Frank Connolly
Chair
Dunfermline Area Cttee
SW Fife Area Cttee
Discover Dunfermline
NQ Heritage Trust
LTA Projects
Kingsgate
Grill 48
NTS Culross
Dynamic Dunfermline
Present
Hazel Mapleson – Boots, Kingsgate
Apologies
Joe McGuiness
Roger Pickering
Manuela Calchini
Kevin Fleming
Chris Foote
2 Minutes of Meeting of 14th January
The Minutes were approved
3 Matters Arising
(a) Showcase Event – 15 visitor businesses had taken stands, and a number who could not
attend, had information read into the presentations. There were around 20 visitors to the
event. A presentation on the Outlander project had been well received. A paper on feedback
had been circulated with the meeting papers. There was a discussion about a proposal to
hold the event twice each year. It was reported that a Fife wide ‘showcase’ event was being
considered later in 2015, and in which case, that would provide the next opportunity to
promote West Fife Businesses, with an LTA event again in the spring of 2016. Costs £144,
income anticipated to be £350
4 Forth Bridges
James Lawson provided an update on the work of the Forth Bridges Tourism Strategy. Consultants
had been appointed to undertake scoping work, and this was ongoing. The Bridge Top visit experience
was reported to have been well received. Wider consultation was taking place on the Visitor Centre
proposals.
5 Cruise Project
Peter Wilson had circulated a paper in advance, which included reference to the Thistle Award and to
plans being developed for the forthcoming season. 31 ships had been booked into Rosyth – the
highest number since the project began.
6 Outlander Project
The Minutes of the second meeting of the project group had been circulated in advance. There was
now involvement by Visit Scotland and TayScreen/Fife Screen. Linn Williamson updated members
about the development of the Facebook and Twitter pages, which were now attracting a growing
number of followers.
7 Sector Updates
Retail – Karen reported on the impact of Black Friday for retail shopping in the first quarter. Some of
the Valentines promotions had worked well. She had brought Hazel Mapleson from Boots in the
Kingsgate with her to help share the knowledge of tourism marketing in Dunfermline. She observed
that the arrival of Tesco, and the free parking had had an impact on people’s shopping patterns.
Restaurants – Linn Williamson announced that Grill 48 had been successful in the Visit Scotland ‘Taste
Our Best’ Awards’.
Hotels – The Chair reported that the drop in business through phased work at the port had resulted
in bedroom rates in March/April being very challenging. This trend seemed to be similar across
central Scotland.
Heritage – Culross was restructuring how it operated as part of the village – a community open day is
planned for 21st March
James Lawson for NQHT spoke of the extension to the Queensferry Hotel, the release of
a CD promoting NQ, the continuing dialogue on the positioning of the Beamer Roc, and
the continuing planning for the Forth Bridge celebrations.
Jack Pryde reported a healthy set of bookings for the season ahead.
8 Fife Tourism Partnership
A lot of work going into the Open 2015. First steps being made to establish a Fife Tourism Academy.
World Host is now registered in Fife, offering funding for staff training. Members discussed concerns
over the taxi offering in West Fife and it was considered that a version of World Host might be
appropriate. (Note – since the meeting – proposals for World Host are to be discussed shortly with
the Council taxi licensing team and Ann Camus from Fife Tourism Partnership.)
9 Visit Scotland – no update
10 Dunfermline First/Dunfermline Delivers
Cllr Law reminded the meeting of the recent appointment of Chris Foote to Dunfermline Delivers. He
would be responsible for event management, and in particular for the series of annual events held
throughout the year.
She also mentioned the deferral of the date for the Bruce Festival to September, and the celebration
of the Trondheim Bond of Friendship, about which Gifford Lind had spoken at the Showcase event.
11 North Queensferry/Rosyth
Cllr Shirkie reported on a number of developments from the SW Fife Area – this included a
presentation to be made in NQ regarding Forth Bridge related developments, the Centenary of Rosyth
Garden City in 2016, and the intention to hold regular indoor/outdoor markets at the Parkgate Centre
starting in April. He also made brief comment about some of the developing ideas for the Rosyth
waterfront.
12 Finance
A paper had been circulated in advance. In an attempt to establish a better base point for LTA funds,
the £3000 currently in the bank account was to be split between the Cruise Project and the LTA.
Monies were still being collected for the Showcase event – see para 3(a).
Invoices for LTA membership would shortly be issued (£50 per organisation)
It was also reported that the Fife Tourism Partnership had paid the invoice from Landmark for the
promotion of Dunfermline and West Fife in the Edinburgh bedroom brochure.
Peter Wilson reported that there were approximated 5000 Dunfermline visitor guides remaining for
the beginning of the season. It was proposed to review the content and report back on further print
runs.
Date of next meeting – Thursday 28th May - Venue to be confirmed