Millions Tune In To Manor Farm
Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Manor Farm's starring role in the recent BBC TV series, Wartime Farm has not only brought in millions of viewers, but also boosted visitor figures by 66 per cent.
The Hampshire County Council Country Park has seen a surge in visitors since it featured in the series, which aired on BBC2 throughout September and October.
Compared to the same time in 2011, Manor Farm welcomed over 2,000 extra visitors in September this year. In addition to welcoming growing numbers of families, the Farm has also seen greater numbers of older visitors, as well as adults visiting alone. On the weekends, throughout September the site welcomed, on average, 255 per cent more senior visitors compared to the previous year.
The eight-part Wartime Farm TV series, brought in an average of three million viewers per episode, and focused on the Second World War and all aspects of domestic and farming life of the period. Presenters Peter Ginn, Ruth Goodman and Alex Langlands explored how people lived, farmed and cooked during the war, using the farmhouse, farmyard, and fields at Manor Farm as their setting.
Located near Hedge End, the country park was chosen as the filming location because of its authentic historic setting and its array of vintage farming equipment, spanning hundreds of years.
Manor Farm has been a working farm for over 600 years and offers visitors the chance to explore its historic buildings and barns, meet the animals, and experience the traditional farm machinery at work.
Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, Councillor Keith Chapman, said: "The Wartime Farm series has had a wonderful impact down at the farm and we are seeing tourists travelling from across the country to visit, as well as new visitors from within Hampshire. The show has also highlighted what the country park has to offer, including one of the oldest working farms in the county.
"We hope that the legacy of the TV series will live on at Manor Farm and that the public will make the most of this fantastic venue."
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