The Royal Borough of Greenwich is holding its annual ‘Be a Local Tourist Day’ on Sunday 15 March 2015 in Eltham: expect a host of activities and historical adventures.
Visitors can find out more about Eltham with a free guided walk of the Town Centre, starting at 2pm outside the main gate at Eltham Palace. Also on offer are free guided tours (10am, 10.30am and 11am) of the historic Eltham Lodge, the Grade1 listed clubhouse of Royal Blackheath Golf Club, said to be the world’s oldest.
There’s always plenty of historic splendour on show at Eltham Palace and Royal Greenwich residents can visit for half price on Be a Local Tourist Day – the Palace is open from 10am-4pm, with last admission at 3pm.
Elsewhere The Bob Hope Theatre will play host to an Open House between 11.30am – 3.30pm with memorabilia on display while Eltham Fire Station will also be opening its doors to the public between 11am-3pm.
Alternatively meet your local police team at Eltham Police Station as they open their doors to the public between 11am – 3pm. Take part in searching for equipment with a Polsa (search officer in uniform) who will have metal detectors and other search equipment. You can also learn how to take fingerprints with a scenes of crime examiner. There will be a riot vehicle along with officers in riot uniform and a marked police car where children can sit and have a go at putting the lights and sirens on. A team will also be on hand to carry out bike marking which gives your bike an identifiable mark if it is stolen.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore the splendour of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site in Greenwich Town Centre, the stunning riverfront and remarkable architecture of the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich and Greenwich Peninsula – home to the world’s most successful entertainment venue, The O2 Arena. This list barely scratches the surface of a location which boasts one of the most impressive collections of attractions in the UK – the vast majority of which cost nada to visit.
Tourism in Royal Greenwich already generates £1 billion every year for the local economy, supporting nearly 14,000 local jobs. It’s a sector seeing rapid growth, in line with the Royal Borough’s ambitious programme of regeneration.
Councillor Miranda Williams, Royal Borough of Greenwich cabinet member for Culture and Creative industries said: “Our famous landmarks such as Eltham Palace, the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory, Sir Christopher Wren’s Old Royal Naval College help bring more than 17 million visitors to Greenwich each year. This year’s Be a Local Tourist promises to be an exciting day with lots of activity [… ]. With so many hidden gems on our doorstep I would encourage residents to get out and explore the history that we are so proud of.”
For more details on Be a Local Tourist Day and other related events and special promotions/discounts visit www.visitgreenwich.org.uk
