Celebrity tours set to put Wilmslow on the tourist map

An exciting new initiative, backed by a well-known and much-loved media personality, is being launched in Wilmslow and Alderley Edge to attract more visitors to the area and support local businesses.

Following on from the success of the Wilmslow Show, Scarecrow Festival, Motor Show, Artisan Market, Alderley Edge May Fair and last year's Gingerbread Bread Trail we can exclusively reveal that tours of celebrity homes in Wilmslow and Alderley Edge are being launched this summer.

Building on Wilmslow and Alderley Edge's reputation as upmarket places with many famous and rich residents, Stargazing Tours will be providing double-decker bus tours around the town and village stopping off at a variety of local celebrities homes, including football legend Sir Alex Ferguson, Coronation Street star William Roache, actresses Denise Welch, Samia Smith and Helen Flanagan as well as the former home of the brilliant mathematician and wartime code-breaker Alan Turing.

Stops will include photo opportunities outside the homes of several footballers including Rio Ferdinand, Robert Van Persie, Andy Cole and the former homes of David and Victoria Beckham.

A fleet of double-decker buses will operate on an hourly basis allowing tourists to get on and off the bus wherever they wish, either for a few minutes in order to take photos or for an hour should they decide to take a closer look around the neighbourhood.

The initial plan to have a fleet of open top buses, as used in southern cities such as London, Cambridge and Oxford, has been reconsidered given the amount of rain we experience in this area and it has been decided that normal double-decker buses would be a more sensible option.

Some local celebrities and their neighbours, or people who live in the former homes of celebrities, are currently in negotiations with Stargazing Tours about providing internal tours or serving refreshments.

Whilst former Wilmslow resident Kerry Katona has been contracted to narrate the tours, providing a first hand account of life in the area through the eyes of a celebrity.

After the trip, visitors will be given the option of being dropped off in either Wilmslow or Alderley Edge where they can join a walking tour of the numerous charity shops offering tourists the opportunity to pick up a celebrity bargain.

Prior to the commencement of the Stargazing Tours each celebrity has agreed to have a good clear-out of their home and donate any unwanted clothing and accessories to a local charity shop of their choice. The money raised from these celebrities' donations will then be split between the chosen charity and the Town Council who will use their share to fund another Traffic Warden to help keep the town centre free of inconsiderate and dangerous parking - making it a more attractive place to visit.

Avril Fous-Blague, Marketing Director at Stargazing Tours, told wimslow.co.uk "We are absolutely delighted to be launching our hop on hop off double decker sightseeing tours in Wilmslow and Alderley Edge. It was the obvious choice for us, being amongst the most sought-after places to live in the UK after central London, with a whole host of celebrities and impressive houses for people to admire.

"Visitors to the area will be given a real glimpse of the 'Cheshire Set' lifestyle and then the opportunity to wander around visiting local shops and restaurants as well as picking up a bargain in one of the many charity shops."

Avril added "Our national marketing campaign will launch towards the end of the month and we aim to have everything up and running for the start of the summer."

Recent figures show that tourism is on the increase in Cheshire East, despite the tough economic climate. The annual STEAM (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) analysis of the Borough's visitor economy shows that in 2013 the tourism industry grew by 7% and is now worth £737m.

Headline figures for the Borough released last week show the value of the visitor economy has soared by 35% since Cheshire East Council was formed in 2009 and the number of tourists has risen by 18%. A total of 13.9 million people visited the Borough last year – but Wilmslow and Alderley Edge are not amongst the Borough's main attractions.

Tatton Park and the other country parks currently draw the biggest visitor numbers, and with Cheshire East Council focussing its efforts on revitalising Crewe and Macclesfield, the new celebrity tours will undoubtedly help to boost the business tourism sector in this area and put both Wilmslow and Alderley Edge on the tourist map.