ABOUT THIS EPISODE
In this live episode of Skip the Queue, recorded at the Association of Cultural Enterprises Conference, Andy Povey is joined by Richard Paterson, Chief Operating Officer at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, to explore the delicate balance between commercial performance and heritage protection.
Richard shares practical, real-world strategies for running sustainable cultural attractions in a challenging post-Covid landscape from improving ticket yield to rethinking discount strategies.
Key Topics Discussed:- Post-Covid financial pressures on cultural attractions
- Increasing income yield without increasing footfall
- Simplifying ticket structures at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
- Reducing and rationalising discounts
- Encouraging online booking vs on-the-door sales
- Using ticketing data to test and track performance
- Re-engaging local audiences within drive-time markets
- Growing repeat visitation
- Communicating conservation impact to visitors
- Turning restoration work into part of the experience
- Leveraging cultural moments like Hamnet to refresh storytelling
Show References:
Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey
Richard Paterson, Chief Operating Officer at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Cultural Enterprises Conference
- Birmingham on 9-11 February 2026
- https://culturalenterprises.org.uk/conference/
Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey.
Credits:
Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster)
Edited by Steve Folland
Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)
Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey
We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.
