The Peaky Blinders effect: Tourists flock to West Midlands boosted by screen stars
The ‘Peaky Blinders effect’ helped the West Midlands attract a record 131 million visitors last year, new figures reveal.
Latest figures from the West Midlands Growth Company showed a 2.6 per cent increase in visitor numbers compared to the previous year.
Tourism also contributed £12.6 billion to the region’s economy, an increase of 6.7 per cent compared to 2017.
The figures were compiled by research body Global Tourism Solutions on behalf of the company, which seeks to promote the West Midlands as a tourism destination.
The rise in the number of visitors was also a shot in the arm for hoteliers in the region, which saw occupancy rates reach an all-time high.
West Midlands hotels saw an average monthly occupancy rate fo 74.8 per cent, up 0.8 per cent compared to the previous year.
The organisation said international sporting fixtures, popular cultural festivals and global television successes all played a part.
‘Screen tourism’ has brought £16.7 million to the region from overseas visitors, the research found.
This was led by the BBC’s period gangster drama Peaky Blinders, which is now shown across the world through the streaming service Netflix.
The series, starring Cillian Murphy as Midland gang boss Tommy Shelby, is partly filmed at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley.
One of the best known locations in the show, Charlie's Yard, is actually the canalside area at the museum.
Steven Spielberg’s futuristic movie Ready Player One, which was filmed in Birmingham, is also credited with boosting tourism in the area.
Andrew Lovett, chief executive of the Black Country Living Museum, said 2018 was a fantastic year for the site.
“We saw our fifth successive year of growth, achieving record visitor attendance of just over 355,000,” he said.
“As one of the film locations for Peaky Blinders, the popularity of the series has undoubtedly introduced the museum to new audiences, making an already thriving heritage attraction even more popular.”
The latest series of Peaky Blinders, which first aired in 2013, received record viewing figures on its launch over the August bank holiday weekend.
More than 76,000 fans of the series, including some from as far afield as New Zealand, applied for tickets to the BBC’s world premiere of the series at Birmingham Town Hall.
Joe Godwin, director of BBC Midlands, said: “Peaky Blinders has had such a positive effect on the local economy, but the full cultural impact is immeasurable.
“The drama has shown the world what an incredibly cool and fascinating place our city is.
“The BBC takes pride in telling stories that celebrate our audience’s hometowns across Britain – and Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders has been a game changer for Birmingham.”
Neil Rami, chief executive of the West Midlands Growth Company, said these were exciting times for the West Midlands.
“The region has made its mark, with record numbers flocking to enjoy our cultural, sporting, culinary and heritage offer,” he said.
Sport also played a crucial role in the tourism economy, the report said.
The Wolverhampton food and drink festival also helped to pull in the crowds.
Last year also saw Premier League football return to Wolverhampton after a six-year absence, although it also saw rivals West Bromwich Albion relegated.
The region also played host to the World Indoor Athletics Championships, the Gymnastics World Cup and England v India Test Match.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said he was delighted by the figures.
“The West Midlands is truly the best region in the UK, and it is great to see that record numbers of visitors are enjoying everything we have to offer,” he said.
“From the return of Premier League football to the opening of The Bear Grylls Adventure (in Birmingham), 2018 was a brilliant year for the region.
“Adding to the waves of visits to the region is the ongoing ripple effect that has been created by Peaky Blinders.
“The hit BBC show has helped to introduce the West Midlands to a new global audience, with the Peaky effect in full swing. Tours and events are selling out months in advance with tourists heading to the region to explore the places and stories associated with the show.”
