Alnwick Garden is “not finished yet” and the next chapter of the major Northumberland visitor attraction is “still to be written,” its CEO has said, marking 25 years since the first phase of the 67-acre site opened to the public.
A Quarter Century of Growth
Since opening in 2001, the garden has launched the Poison Garden, Grand Pavilion and Visitor Centre, and the sprawling children’s fantasy playground Lilidorei. More than nine million people have passed through its gates, according to CEO Mark Brassell, who has led the garden since 2015.
Brassell oversees a period of major growth, harnessing the “million miles an hour” energy of the garden’s creator, the Duchess of Northumberland. “She’s got this energy and ideas – she’s a dynamo for amazing ideas that many normal people wouldn’t get,” he said. “What’s around the corner: I don’t know?”
He recalled a 2016 meeting where the Duchess proposed Lilidorei, the world’s largest play structure of its kind. “At the time, I thought it was going to be really challenging in the environment we were in – and wasn’t sure if it was ever going to happen. But here we are 10 years later. Never say never.”
Economic and Social Impact
Brassell looks back with “massive pride,” pointing to major economic and social benefits for Alnwick and the wider region. “I see it every day in things like the Elderberries and the school education groups who come in. All of that stuff, if you times that by 25 years, it’s just a great thing to be part of and I’m humbled to be in the role I’m in.”
Running such an attraction in today’s climate – both economic and meteorological – is no mean feat. “Like any organisation right now, trying to manage costs is really tough,” said Brassell. “We’ve got pressures left, right and centre – particularly with energy now. You seem to get over the crest of one challenge and you’re on to the next one.”
Weather and Tourism Challenges
Increasingly severe and changeable weather has brought fewer “perfect” garden days, while Northumberland’s popularity has grown “dramatically” in 25 years. However, Chinese tourism – previously a growing segment – has not returned in hoped numbers post-Covid, though tour bus groups are now recovering.
Brassell highlighted the garden’s Christmas lights trail and Lilidorei lights as key investments: “Looking internally, from the Garden’s perspective, the one thing that we’re really proud of is creating better jobs because we’ve invested in our Christmas lights trail, and the Lilidorei lights. The whole offer at Christmas is really, really strong and that’s local visitors within a two hour drive.”
Year-Round Ambitions
Christmas gives way to a period of organisation, with January to March seeing key maintenance like emptying the Grand Cascade. Brassell noted “lots of exciting things happening in and around Alnwick” with organisations collaborating on an Alnwick offer. “One of the things we’ve often spoken about is that if you can have one big event per month that becomes iconic – for example we see it with our cherry blossom with people coming from all over the world to see it. So, it’s almost like what is every month’s blossom – and how can we make that bigger and wider so the town can benefit more than it does now.”
He believes January and February could be prime months for the next big event, leveraging dark skies and Alnwick Story Fest in early March. Turning a seasonal business model into a year-round alternative should reap benefits for jobs and suppliers in the local economy.
Innovation Through Collaboration
Inspiration comes from overseas attractions and the garden’s “pea-shelling” sessions, where everyone from volunteers to senior managers throws ideas on the table. “We say no idea is a silly idea,” Brassell explained. “It’s like shelling peas, throwing it out and thinking ‘that could work’. Or perhaps someone has been on holiday to France and seen something that could work. You get fantastic ideas. The more people that are in the room, the better. You get all ages and some people with kids and others without.”
He added: “We get a whole range of ideas that we then think about how we could resource, and which ones will work. It’s also about not being afraid to be quirky and different.”
