Sutton Owlfield campaign results in additional 65,000 visitors to town

A CAMPAIGN to promote the benefits of Sutton Coldfield to both locals and visitors alike has been declared a success.

The campaign, which was coordinated by the Sutton Coldfield Town Centre BID and The Gracechurch Centre, was linked in to the Big Hoot arts initiative, which has been running in Birmingham throughout the summer and saw the Royal town renamed ‘Sutton Owlfield’.

It resulted in seven of the 89 colourful giant owls being sited in town, making it the largest ‘parliament’ outside of Birmingham city centre.

The campaign also saw a number of themed activities and events take place in the town centre over the summer, with the added benefit of promoting the Big Hoot to a wider audience.

Data collected by The Gracechurch Centre indicates that more than 65,000 additional people have visited the town centre over the last 10 weeks in comparison with the same period last year.

Users of The Big Hoot smartphone app, which allowed owl spotters to digitally log the owls they visited by scanning a barcode, have recorded an incredible 20,000 sightings in Sutton Coldfield alone.

As well as helping to put Sutton Coldfield on the map and attract new visitors, the campaign has also been good for the local economy.

Andy Jackson, centre manager at The Gracechurch Centre, said: “The reaction to the Big Hoot owls in Sutton Coldfield has been terrific and the whole experience has been incredibly positive. We couldn’t be prouder to have played a role.

“The Big Hoot has introduced thousands of new people to Sutton Coldfield and encouraged those living here to explore and make use of their own town more. Through a common purpose, it’s united our town with neighbours across the city too. It’s stimulated hundreds of thousands of smiles, conversations and interactions, the importance of which cannot be underestimated.”

Sharif Uddin, owner of Panache restaurant and a member of the town centre ‘Restaurant Quarter’, added: “We have seen a really positive impact from The Big Hoot, with many diners commenting on the owls and a noticeable increase in bookings over the summer months. I think the whole campaign has helped to put Sutton on the map with people from across the region, and that renewed awareness is rubbing off on businesses like ours.”

Sutton Coldfield MP, Andrew Mitchell who toured the trail with BID manager Mike Bushell, said everyone associated with the campaign should be congratulated for their efforts.

“The Big Hoot has been a wonderful event and congratulations are due to the Town Centre BID team for coordinating Sutton Coldfield’s role in the trail. Their Sutton Owlfield campaign has attracted people in their thousands, boosting the local economy and awareness of all our town has to offer,” he said.

He offered special thanks to the local organisations which sponsored the town’s owls – The Gracechurch Centre, funeral directors Dignity, Birmingham Metropolitan College, Moor Hall Hotel and the West Brom building society.

The owls will join the 82 others used during the campaign at a special display at the Think Tank at Millennium Point over the weekend of October 10 and 11 before they are auctioned off on October 15 to raise funds for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Predictions are that the auction could raise in the region of £500,000.

For more information on the farewell weekend and the auction visit www.thebighoot.co.uk