River Parrett Trail business survey 2022

The River Parrett trail has been improved and marketed by South Somerset District Council and partners, with the aim of increasing visitors and improving the user experience. By increasing visitors we hope to increase trade to your business. We would therefore be grateful if you could complete this short survey which will help us understand if the improvements have had an impact on your business so far.

The River Parrett Trail stretches over approximately 50 miles and provides a fascinating journey from the Dorset/Somerset border near Chedington, across the low land of the Somerset Levels to the Bristol Channel at Steart.

For more information on the Trail, visit the website: https://www.visitsouthsomerset.com/listings/walking/the-river-parrett-trail.htm

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1. What type of business do you run?

Service provider (e.g. shop, convenience store, garage, newsagents)

Catering and accommodation (e.g. pub, hotel, B&B, self catering, camping, caravanning, restaurants)

Land based business (e.g. farm shop, fruit farm, drink producers, delicatessen, tree and garden services)

Leisure and sport (e.g. golf, fishing, riding, shooting, walking, cycling, swimming, gym)

Creative industries (e.g. visual art, design, music, performance and crafts, galleries, art centres, outlets)

Heritage and culture (e.g. museums, libraries, houses, gardens, monuments, industrial heritage)

Health and wellbeing (e.g. hospitals, medical centres, pharmacies, beauty, grooming)

Professional services (e.g. solicitors, accountants, book-keepers, surveyors, estate agents, IT consultants)

Manufacturing and building (e.g. engineers, fabricators, plastic formers, builders, merchants, building crafts)

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2. Where is your business located? (please select the town nearest if not listed)

Combwich

Cannington

Wembdon

Bridgewater

Burrow Bridge

Huntworth

Moorland

Stoke St Gregory

Langport

Muchelney

Thorney

Kingsbury Episcopi

South Petherton

Martock

Bower Hinton

Stoke Sub Hamdon

Norton Sub Hamdon

Over Stratton

Merriott

Crewkerne

Misterton

South Perrott

North Perrott

Cheddington

Crewkerne

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3. How important are tourists/visitors to your business?

Really important

Quite important

Not very important

Not important at all

Don’t know

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4. How important are users of the River Parrett Trail to your business?

Really important

Quite important

Not very important

Not important at all

Don’t know

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5. What proportion of your current customers are users/visitors to the River Parrett Trail?

The majority of our customers use/visit the Trail

Large proportion

Moderate proportion

Small proportion

Very small proportion

None

Don’t know

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6. Please state the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements:

	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Don't know/ N/A
I have a good understanding of the River Parrett Trail and what it offers to users/visitors to the area	I have a good understanding of the River Parrett Trail and what it offers to users/visitors to the area Agree	I have a good understanding of the River Parrett Trail and what it offers to users/visitors to the area Neither agree nor disagree	I have a good understanding of the River Parrett Trail and what it offers to users/visitors to the area Disagree	I have a good understanding of the River Parrett Trail and what it offers to users/visitors to the area Don't know/ N/A
The River Parrett Trail has a strong identity and is well known	The River Parrett Trail has a strong identity and is well known Agree	The River Parrett Trail has a strong identity and is well known Neither agree nor disagree	The River Parrett Trail has a strong identity and is well known Disagree	The River Parrett Trail has a strong identity and is well known Don't know/ N/A
I am aware of the improvements made to the Trail	I am aware of the improvements made to the Trail Agree	I am aware of the improvements made to the Trail Neither agree nor disagree	I am aware of the improvements made to the Trail Disagree	I am aware of the improvements made to the Trail Don't know/ N/A
I am aware of the increased marketing of the Trail to visitors	I am aware of the increased marketing of the Trail to visitors Agree	I am aware of the increased marketing of the Trail to visitors Neither agree nor disagree	I am aware of the increased marketing of the Trail to visitors Disagree	I am aware of the increased marketing of the Trail to visitors Don't know/ N/A
The River Parrett Trail is an important asset for the local area and local businesses	The River Parrett Trail is an important asset for the local area and local businesses Agree	The River Parrett Trail is an important asset for the local area and local businesses Neither agree nor disagree	The River Parrett Trail is an important asset for the local area and local businesses Disagree	The River Parrett Trail is an important asset for the local area and local businesses Don't know/ N/A
Increasing visitors to the River Parrett Trail would benefit our business	Increasing visitors to the River Parrett Trail would benefit our business Agree	Increasing visitors to the River Parrett Trail would benefit our business Neither agree nor disagree	Increasing visitors to the River Parrett Trail would benefit our business Disagree	Increasing visitors to the River Parrett Trail would benefit our business Don't know/ N/A
We include the River Parrett Trail in our promotional/marketing activities	We include the River Parrett Trail in our promotional/marketing activities Agree	We include the River Parrett Trail in our promotional/marketing activities Neither agree nor disagree	We include the River Parrett Trail in our promotional/marketing activities Disagree	We include the River Parrett Trail in our promotional/marketing activities Don't know/ N/A
We have a good understanding of what users of the River Parrett Trail need from our business	We have a good understanding of what users of the River Parrett Trail need from our business Agree	We have a good understanding of what users of the River Parrett Trail need from our business Neither agree nor disagree	We have a good understanding of what users of the River Parrett Trail need from our business Disagree	We have a good understanding of what users of the River Parrett Trail need from our business Don't know/ N/A
We are currently able to meet the needs of users/visitors to the River Parrett Trail	We are currently able to meet the needs of users/visitors to the River Parrett Trail Agree	We are currently able to meet the needs of users/visitors to the River Parrett Trail Neither agree nor disagree	We are currently able to meet the needs of users/visitors to the River Parrett Trail Disagree	We are currently able to meet the needs of users/visitors to the River Parrett Trail Don't know/ N/A

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7. From your perspective, how has the River Parrett Trail improved since 2019? This can be both physical improvements, but also improved marketing of the Trail to potential visitors.

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8. How have the improvements benefited your business or local area?

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9. Are there any other improvements you would like to see, that would benefit the local area, visitors or your business?

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10. As you may know, the South Somerset Tourism Team have compiled a range of free resources to help promote and aid walkers to experience the most from the trail. Have you used any of the following to help promote the Trail to your customers? (please tick all that apply)

Promotional flier

Links to the Visit South Somerset webpage on the Trail on your own website/social media

Sharing the short films available on YouTube

Walking route guidance (available on the web page)

None of the above

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11. What support or information have you had from SSDC/partners to help your business benefit from the improvements to the River Parrett Trail? How useful has this support or information been?

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12. Do you have any other comments to make about the River Parrett Trail, or the support the council could provide businesses to promote the Trail to customers/visitors?

River Parrett Trail business survey 2022

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* 1. What type of business do you run?

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* 2. Where is your business located? (please select the town nearest if not listed)

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* 3. How important are tourists/visitors to your business?

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* 4. How important are users of the River Parrett Trail to your business?

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* 5. What proportion of your current customers are users/visitors to the River Parrett Trail?

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* 6. Please state the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements:

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* 7. From your perspective, how has the River Parrett Trail improved since 2019? This can be both physical improvements, but also improved marketing of the Trail to potential visitors.

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* 8. How have the improvements benefited your business or local area?

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* 9. Are there any other improvements you would like to see, that would benefit the local area, visitors or your business?

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* 10. As you may know, the South Somerset Tourism Team have compiled a range of free resources to help promote and aid walkers to experience the most from the trail. Have you used any of the following to help promote the Trail to your customers? (please tick all that apply)

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* 11. What support or information have you had from SSDC/partners to help your business benefit from the improvements to the River Parrett Trail? How useful has this support or information been?

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* 12. Do you have any other comments to make about the River Parrett Trail, or the support the council could provide businesses to promote the Trail to customers/visitors?

1. What type of business do you run?

2. Where is your business located? (please select the town nearest if not listed)

3. How important are tourists/visitors to your business?

4. How important are users of the River Parrett Trail to your business?

5. What proportion of your current customers are users/visitors to the River Parrett Trail?

6. Please state the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements:

7. From your perspective, how has the River Parrett Trail improved since 2019? This can be both physical improvements, but also improved marketing of the Trail to potential visitors.

8. How have the improvements benefited your business or local area?

9. Are there any other improvements you would like to see, that would benefit the local area, visitors or your business?

10. As you may know, the South Somerset Tourism Team have compiled a range of free resources to help promote and aid walkers to experience the most from the trail. Have you used any of the following to help promote the Trail to your customers? (please tick all that apply)

11. What support or information have you had from SSDC/partners to help your business benefit from the improvements to the River Parrett Trail? How useful has this support or information been?

12. Do you have any other comments to make about the River Parrett Trail, or the support the council could provide businesses to promote the Trail to customers/visitors?