WORCESTER’S MP has urged council chiefs to build on a report which placed the Faithful City among the UK’s top 10 heritage destinations.
Robin Walker welcomed research from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and hailed the findings as an ‘enormous opportunity’ to do more with the city’s heritage.
The study shows Worcester is amongst the top five cities in the UK for its heritage assets and in the top ten overall for heritage.
Cities were examined on a variety of points such as the number of listed buildings, conservation areas, blue plaques, parks and nature reserves, historic events and even the amount of locally themed food and drink.
And Worcester’s tenth place overall out of 329 areas saw the Faithful City beat the likes of York, Bath, Bristol and Durham.
Whereas the city features very highly for the range and importance of its heritage assets, it has performed less well for the level of activity around them.
Robin, who himself studied history and is a member of the Battle of Worcester Society, the Civic Society and the Historical Society, said this should be a rallying call for more to be done.
“I have always known that Worcester is a fantastic place with a wonderful history and an enormous amount of heritage, but it is wonderful to see this confirmed in this important piece of research,” he said.
“To see our city up with the heart of London, Oxford and Cambridge for its heritage value is something that will please many, however this research also provides a valuable wakeup call that we can do more to promote our heritage assets.”
“I support a number of groups who are involved in just that and I would be delighted to see Worcester named officially a Heritage City. These data show that it can and should be done.”
Coun Lucy Hodgson said: “Worcester is steeped in heritage, with a wealth of historic buildings across the city, creating a unique and appealing atmosphere for residents and visitors alike.
“We are Britain’s premier Civil War City, with the first and last battles of that great conflict being fought here.
“The great thing is that many of our historic assets – such as the Guildhall and The Commandery, where Charles II’s HQ was based during the Battle of Worcester in 1651 – are right in the heart of our city, playing a vital role in people’s everyday lives.
“We are aiming to make more of our history and heritage in the years to come, for the benefit of visitors and our local economy, including securing Heritage City status,” she added.
