Murder could be your business!

THME Town Hall (aka Causton Town Hall) was the setting for a highly successful Midsomer Workshop last Wednesday, June 22, attended by over 50 local businesses and residents with an interest in developing Midsomer tourism in Thame.

Patsy Baker (2nd Left) and Karen Clark (2nd Right) of Thame Barns Centre, share ideas about what Thame can do to attract more of the ‘Midsomer’ market

Thame is one of the most-filmed locations in the globally popular ITV detective series, Midsomer Murders, with eight episodes filmed in the town. The purpose of the workshop was to help local businesses attract more visitors to Thame because of its associations with Midsomer.

Attendees, who included hotel and guest house owners, shops, pubs, cafes, and others involved in the tourist industry, heard from Douglas Watkinson, one of the original script writers of the show, how Midsomer tourism is a huge success and still growing, with its twentieth year approaching in 2017, and that it has been watched by a billion people across the world.

Capitalising on one of the UK’s biggest TV exports

Sarah Osborne of Tourism Angles, revealed that 6.5 million people watch Midsomer Murders in the UK and millions more in over 100 countries worldwide. The series is one of the UK’s biggest TV exports – rating in Denmark’s top three and Australia’s top 20. People see it on TV and want to come and visit the beautiful towns and villages of ‘Midsomer’ for themselves.

The event was opened by the Mayor of Thame, Cllr Linda Emery. She commented: “People were really surprised to learn how many episodes Thame has been in. We have around 15 specific filming locations, as well as a lot of recognisable street scenes from the show. Midsomer visitors can take selfies with our Causton Town Hall sign and enjoy a Barnaby Bun at Rumsey’s Chocolaterie, and the workshop produced lots of other great ideas we want to explore.”

Jean Gamester from Semaphora Consulting, who facilitated the workshop discussion groups, said: “There was a fantastic buzz, and it was great to see such enthusiasm and energy. I’m looking forward to seeing how Midsomer develops in Thame, including tours, merchandise, food and drink offerings.”

Neil Ainsworth, owner of the Argyll pub in Henley, another Midsomer location, told of his success with Midsomer ale and new products like Midsomer Pickle.  He reported that one 40 seater coach load of visitors spent £1,000 in his pub in two hours when they made a pitstop on their way to Oxford! While Tim Soar, owner of Long Crendon Manor which receives many Midsomer visitors, said he would like to see Thame offering more to attract his Midsomer tourists to the town. Chris Behan, author of Roaming Midsomer, published this year, mentioned that Midsomer plaques are currently being developed with a view to putting them up at filming locations in the town, to add to the attractions for visitors to Thame.

‘I could murder a Barnaby Bun’

Mary Rumsey runs Rumsey’s Chocolaterie in Thame. She was one of the first Thame businesses to jump on the Midsomer bandwagon, when people started coming into her shop having learned that it was a Midsomer location. Mary developed ‘the Barnaby bun’ – a cross between a rock cake and scone, served with jam and cream, which has proved very popular with visitors and locals alike. She told the audience how her company will now be revamping its website to better reflect the Midsomer connection and include links to the Midsomer website and information about local accommodation etc, something any local business could do very quickly and at no cost. One enterprising attendee came up with the slogan: “I could murder a Barnaby bun!”

Sarah Osborne concluded: “To benefit from the Midsomer effect, you don’t have to be a filming location; two thirds of tourist expenditure is made in shops, pubs and eateries in towns such as Thame. Village partners are also very important as part of the experience, and it’s good to see representatives from Long Crendon and Haddenham here today. Attracting tour companies will be crucial in developing Thame as a hub and getting the maximum benefit from Midsomer tourism.”

Get a free, professional consultation about benefiting your business

Ten local businesses took up Sarah’s offer of 1-1 sessions with her to discuss how they can make the most of the Midsomer phenomenon to help their business, and since the workshop, sarah has extended the invitation to any Thame business that didn’t fill in her yellow request form on the day (Contact details below).

Sarah Osborne – Image by Caroline Flint

The Midsomer Workshop was co-funded by Thame Town Council and the Rising Star prize fund from the Great British High Street Competition, that Thame was awarded last year, and organised by members of 21st Century Thame.

For more information about Midsomer or how to take part in developing the Midsomer experience in Thame, contact Sarah Osborne, Tourism Angles, on 07787 122050 or email sarah2108@msn.com or Helen Johns, 21st Century Thame, on 0771 743 4983 or email helen.johns39@gmail.com.

For more information about Semaphora Consulting and their facilitation of workshops, contact Jean Gamester on 07877 970250 or email jean@semaphora.com.

For more information about Midsomer, visit http://www.visitmidsomer.com