Great West Way, the world’s first multi-modal touring route, has launched a new map featuring the many food and drink establishments on the route, where travellers are encouraged to stop, fill their boots and quench their thirst.
The food and drink map is available from February and features a number of breweries and pubs, tea rooms and cafés, fine dining and Michelin star restaurants, as well as farm shops, food markets and festivals. It also highlights food and drink experiences such as cookery schools and distillery tours. The map is available to download from the Great West Way’s website and will be made available to the route’s growing ambassador network, currently comprising 270 ambassadors and 75 official tour operators.
To support the launch of the map, Great West Way will run an integrated digital and PR campaign in February. A physical copy of the map will then be distributed by leading national food and drink publications in March.
Fiona Errington, head of marketing at Great West Way, said: “The route is brimming with unique places to eat and drink, that suit all budgets.
“As well as showcasing its history, heritage, popular attractions and areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it’s important that we encourage travellers to support local businesses during their trips, in the same way that we encourage people to explore areas off the beaten track. The map is a great way for us to showcase the many places on route where they can stop and have a bite to eat, as well as tempt them to take an alternative route and perhaps explore a destination they’ve never been to before.”
Great West Way ambassador, Wadworth Brewery (Devizes), have produced an exclusive advertisement for the food and drink map that includes the location of its brewery and several of its pubs on the route. The brewery offer daily tours which gives an insight into the brewing process and the traditional skills used, alongside more modern techniques.
Chris Welham, CEO for Wadworth, said: “We are very fortunate to have our brewery and many of our pubs located along the Great West Way, so we are delighted to be involved. You can’t beat a visit to a lovely pub on a day out so adding these to the map made perfect sense. I’m sure visitors and locals alike will get a lot from the new map.”
Other sponsors of the map include: Longleat Food & Music Festival, Apex City of Bath Hotel, Roseate House in London, Red Lion Freehouse in Pewsey, a’Beckett’s Vineyard in Devizes, Koffmann & Mr White’s and ArtBar, both located at the Abbey Hotel Bath, The Newbury, a pub in Newbury, The Langley, a five-star luxury hotel in Buckinghamshire and Bristol, one of the UK’s leading craft beer destinations.
During 2019, the Great West Way launched its Rough Guide to the Great West Way and the UK’s largest integrated rail and bus pass (the Great Western Railway Great West Way® Discoverer pass) and a new Travel Trade directory at the annual Marketplace event, connecting domestic and international buyers with tourism suppliers.
In January 2020, the Great West Way attended several travel trade events with key ambassadors and partners. The largest of these was Vakantiebeurs in the Netherlands, but excursions and a one-to-one networking event in London - Britain & Ireland Marketplace (BIM) were also attended.
To download a digital version of the map or to view or create an itinerary, please visit www.GreatWestWay.co.uk. Food and drink maps can also be collected from local information points on the Great West Way.
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Contact: Holly Windsor, PR and communication manager | Hollywindsor@GreatWestWay.co.uk | 01722 324888 or 07444 601 421