21/01/11….Fans to follow the Midsomer Murders trail

TWO new trails have been unveiled in the drive to attract fans of the popular TV series Midsomer Murders to South Oxfordshire.

The trails have been added to the South Oxfordshire District Council?s Visit Midsomer website www.visitmidsomer.com to help raise awareness of the district?s most popular locations. The trails are designed to provide fans with a guided tour of the fectional Midsomer area, including plenty of photo opportunities, as well as highlighting the many other reasons to spend longer in South Oxfordshire, helping to support local businesses and jobs.

Thame, which is included in the Northern Trail, has featured often in MidSomer Murders particularly the 16th century Spread Eagle Hotel, several of Thame’s independent shops and tea rooms, chosen as locations because of their traditional frontages, our lovely 13th century church, the museum, our walking trails and the 700 year old pub, The Bird Cage.

The Southern Trail takes in the Wallingford Corn Exchange and Rotherfield Pappard Primary School, better known to millions as Causton Playhouse and the Badgers Primary School. The Northern Trail includes a visit to Dorchester Abbey Muesum (Midsomer Newton Museum) and Watlington Library (Causton Library). Both trails also include numerous other buildings and landscapes featured in the hit show.

Midsomer Murders draws visitors to South Oxfordshire who want to walk in the footsteps of the characters, drink in the same pubs and explore the gorgeous locations seen on screen. For many overseas viewers Midsomer represents England at its green and pleasant best ? a place of character buildings, village greens and parish churches.

Since launching the website in November, South Oxfordshire has added a Visit Midsomer blog and launched a Twitter account @visitmidsomer which is already achieving positive results. Followers are getting the message out that Midsomer Murders is filmed in and around South Oxfordshire ? not Somerset, as many believe. And local organisations like Wallingford rowing club increasingly are using the blog and Twitter account to share timely information about events and news.

Councillor Bill Service, Cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said: ?Midsomer Murders attracts a global audience in almost 200 countries world-wide. The new trails will help to draw attention to South Oxfordshire and encourage more visitors, and also encourage those living nearby to get out and explore the area a bit more as well.?

?The interest from the TV show brings direct benefit to local hotels, shops and restaurants. According to the latest research for 2009 tourism contributes more than