Visitor survey results
Introduction
As outlined above, 102 respondents completed the visitor’s survey questionnaire. Results in this section are weighted to be representative by age.
Visiting East Berwickshire
Of the 102 respondents who completed the visitors survey, 76% (n=78) had visited East Berwickshire.
As shown in Figure 14, the largest proportion of these respondents (33%, n=26) indicated that they visited East Berwickshire twice a year. Only one respondent (1%, n=1) indicated that they visited daily, with 6% (n=5) indicating that they visited weekly.
Respondents who visited the area at least once per year were classified as regular visitors. As such, 71% (n=73) of the 102 respondents to the survey were regular visitors to East Berwickshire.
The regular visitors were asked to indicate how long they spend in East Berwickshire when they visit. As shown in Table 18, the largest proportion of respondents (64%, n=46) travelled to East Berwickshire for a day trip.
| Duration of Visit | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Day trip | 46 | 64% |
| One night | 8 | 11% |
| Two nights | 10 | 14% |
| Three - six nights | 2 | 3% |
| Weekend break | 2 | 2% |
| Week | 3 | 4% |
| Longer than a week | 2 | 3% |
| Total | 73 | 100% |
Overall, most respondents (57%, n=42) indicated that they spent £50 or less when visiting East Berwickshire. One quarter, (25%, n=18), of respondents indicated that they spent over £100 during their visit.
Key Attractions
Regular visitors were asked what key attractions they visit East Berwickshire for. As shown in Table 19, beaches are the key attraction of East Berwickshire for regular visitors. Over half, (53%, n=39), of regular respondents also indicated that historic sites in the area a key attraction.
| Attraction | Number | Percentage of Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Beaches | 58 | 79% |
| Historic Sites | 39 | 53% |
| Bars and Restaurants | 27 | 37% |
| Leisure Parks | 16 | 22% |
| Visiting family and friends | 16 | 22% |
| Other | 4 | 5% |
| Base* | 160 | - |
*Multiple responses were given at this question
Further to this, non-visitors were asked if they would be inclined to visit East Berwickshire for any of the key attractions listed above. Again, historic sites and the areas’ beaches were noted to be the key attractions, with 77% (n=23) indicating they would be inclined to visit for historic sites and 54% (n=16) indicating that they would be inclined to visit the areas’ beaches.
Travel to East Berwickshire
Regular Visitors
The regular visitors were then asked how they currently travelled to East Berwickshire. Respondents were asked to select the mode of transport that they used most regularly. Most respondents, (77%, n=56), indicated that they drove/travelled in the car to East Berwickshire. A further 17% (n=12) travelled by a combination of train and bus, 5% (n=4) travelled by a combination of train and taxi and 1% (n=1) travelled with their motorhome.
Respondents were also asked to rate the extent to which a series of issues impacted them when travelling to East Berwickshire. Figure 16 details the responses, and shows that the fewest issues were recorded for the following:
- Accessibility issues at Rail/bus interchange at Berwick-upon-Tweed – where 56% (n=30) of respondents noted it was no issue
- Safety concerns on roads on route to and approaching East Berwickshire – where 55% (n=36) of respondents noted it was no issue
- Reliability of car journey times – where 62% (n=42) of respondents noted that it was no issue
The aspects that were issues for respondents were as follows:
- Lack of direct rail service into East Berwickshire itself – where 31% (n=18) of respondents noted it was a significant issue and 38% (n=22) noted that it was a minor issue
- Lack of real time travel information at bus shelters – where 30% (n=17) of respondents noted that it was a significant issue
- Bus services to East Berwickshire – where 30% (n=16) of respondents noted that it was a significant issue and 32% (n=17) noted it was a minor issue
- Slow moving vehicles on roads on route to and approaching East Berwickshire – where 46% (n=32) of respondents noted it was a minor issue
- Congestion on the road network – where 45% (n=31) of respondents noted it was a minor issue
Non-Visitors
Non-visitors were asked why they do not currently visit East Berwickshire more often. Respondents were asked to select all applicable reasons and Figure 17 outlines the results.
As shown, being ‘unsure what the area has to offer’ was the most common response from non-visitors (reported by 31%, n=9). Overall, 19% (n=6) of respondents indicated that that they don’t travel to East Berwickshire more often because there is no direct rail link.
Anticipated Impact of a Reston Rail Link
All respondents were then asked if there was a rail link into Reston, providing direct connections to Edinburgh and Newcastle, how likely would they be to use the train to visit Reston and the surrounding local area. As shown in Table 20, both regular visitors and non-visitors noted that they would, overall, be more likely to use the train to visit the area than unlikely to.
| Visitor type | Very Unlikely | Unlikely | Unsure | Likely | Very Likely |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Visitor (n=73) | 21% (n=15) | 10% (n=7) | 16% (n=12) | 33%(n=24) | 21% (n=15) |
| Non-Visitor (n=29) | 17% (n=5) | 7% (n=2) | 28% (n=8) | 38%(n=11) | 10% (n=3) |
Regular Visitors
Regular visitors were then asked how likely it would be that they would visit the town more often than they currently do, as a result of a new rail link. Overall, 53% (n=39) selected either ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’, indicating that the direct rail link would encourage them to visit more often. A further 13% (n=10) noted that it was ‘unlikely’ that they would visit more often and 9% (n=7) noted it was ‘very unlikely’. The other 24% (n=18) noted that they were ‘unsure’.
Non-Visitors
Non-visitors were asked if there was a direct rail link, and they were to use it to travel to Reston and the local area, how long would they expect to spend in Reston and the local East Berwickshire area. As shown, the largest proportion of respondents (42%, n=12) indicated that they would visit East Berwickshire for a day trip.
These respondents were then asked how often they would visit the town if there was a direct rail link. Figure 19 shows that ‘a few times per year’, ‘once per year’ and ‘irregularly’ were each selected by approximately one quarter of respondents.
