Maximising the performance of heritage destinations

Our team all have a genuine interest in heritage and in making sure that the buildings we help to develop work as effectively as possible after the project is completed. The focus is usually on enhancing the visitor experience, which invariably leads to greater usage and reaching out to new audiences. This is the key to unlocking greater long-term sustainability for the heritage organisation itself.

Heritage is of course operating in an environment of considerable competition for people’s free time. The public has lots of visitor destinations to choose from, both within heritage and across the leisure sector. More than ever, heritage destinations must work hard to tap into how people’s needs and expectations are changing – but they have finite resources to achieve this.

Against this background, we consistently make a valuable contribution to heritage organisations by helping them visualise their future and create a business case and plan for achieving ambitious yet realistic outcomes. Just as importantly, we help them achieve the desired results through well-managed projects.

Expertise when it’s needed the most

Professional project management is often essential when developing heritage facilities. Managers and trustees are usually incredibly busy with the day-to-day running of their facility. They often don’t have the time to take on the extra demands of managing a large construction project, or feel that it’s outside their field of expertise.

A particular requirement is to ensure that the needs of funders, donors, boards and many other stakeholders are understood and met throughout the project. There will inevitably be close scrutiny of spending, so the appointment of a third party project manager – and quite possibly a specialist cost manager – is often essential as it gives stakeholders confidence in the way the funding is being utilised.

Support every step of the way with Heritage Lottery Funding

Projects funded by the HLF have an especially strong need for professional project management. Indeed, this can be a requirement of the funding itself. Clarkson Alliance has more than a decade’s experience of these projects and we are an HLF-recommended supplier. We know how to fully meet HLF requirements, such as grant drawdown and progress reports.

We are also experienced at supporting clients in securing Stage 1 and Stage 2 HLF funding. This involves developing business cases, as well as long term business plans to demonstrate the sustainability of the proposed project. Ultimately, it is that vision for the future that will ensure the best possible return for all parties on the investment being made.