Hay on Wye Visitor Survey Interim Report Précis

Q1 – Did you travel from home today?

Less than a third travelled from home

Q2 - Are you staying in, or near Hay on Wye?

70% of survey respondents were staying in Hay on Wye or nearby

Q3 - Which of these is the MAIN type of accommodation you are using during your visit to this area?

The top 3 types in order were Guest House/B&B/Farm (54%); rented self catering/serviced apartment (11%); hotel/motel/inn/lodge (9%).

Q4 - How many nights will you be staying .......

Majority of staying visitors in Hay on Wye stayed for 1-3 nights as part of a longer trip away from home.

Q5 - Who did you book your MAIN type of accomodation used in this area with?

Majority booked direct with provider with more people turning up without advance booking than those that booked through a travel agency or tour operator.

Q6 – What type of trip are you on?

Over half were on a short break, a quarter on a holiday, with the remaining being on day trips

Q8 - Please indicate the number of people in you immediate party that fall into each age group.

Most visitors fell into the age bracket of 35-54, followed by 55-64 and then 65+, with large groups of visitors (10+) in each of those.

9. Is this your first visit to Hay on Wye?

For roughly 60% of people, this was a repeat visit.

10. If No, how often do you come to Hay on Wye?

Majority (two-thirds) of question respondents cam once a year or less, with nearly a quarter visiting 2-4 times a year

11. What was the MAIN mode of transport you used to reach Hay on Wye today?

Over 80% came by car, with the next most popular answer (5%) being ‘walked in’

12a. The main reason for you deciding to visit the area?

Most popular answer at roughly a quarter was to visit bookshops, followed by the Festival, because they had visited it previously, because Hay was recommended and then the shopping.

12b. Had some influence in deciding to visit Hay onWye today?

Scenery/landscape/countryside ranked the highest followed by bookshops, peace and quiet, activities and historic interest

13. Have you taken part, or do you intend to take part in, any of the following activities during your visit to this area?

Walking (63%); canoeing / kayaking (9%); cycling (7%) and creative arts (4%) were the top 4 answers.

14. During your visit to this area, have you done, or do you intend to do, any of the following?

Of the available answers the top four answers in order were go to a pub / restaurant (29%); followed by shopping (25%); sightseeing (21%) and visiting attractions (13%).

15. Before or During your visit did you consult any of the following for information about this area:

The internet was the most heavily consulted medium before visiting, followed by the TIB, the Hay brochure and Word of Mouth / advice from friends. During people’s visits, Hay on Wye brochure was most heavily consulted followed closely by the TIB and then info at hotel / attraction.

16. How long in total do you intend to stay in Hay onWye today?

Top answer was 24 hours, followed by between 3-4 hours indicating that for those not staying, a half day visit was most popular

17. See attached

18. How much did you know about Hay on Wye prior to your visit?

Most people knew ‘quite a lot’, followed by an equal amount of people knowing ‘a little’ or ‘most things’. There were quite a few people who knew ‘not very much’ so there is scope to develop information and communication about Hay on Wye’s distinctiveness

19. How would you rate your visit to Hay on Wye area compared to your expectations?

Nearly half of all people’s visit was ‘As Expected’, with nearly half having expectations exceeded.

20. See attached

21. See attached

22. What would you change about your stay?

nothing

We had Coffee's and Drinks & Food in 4 different outlet's and can honestly say the service /attitude of the man in Oscars was dreadful customer care was horrible.

All very good.

Bathrooms

Camping sites need literature about Hay

Monitor / grade the accomodation in the Tourist Office Booklet.

Reduce accomodation prices ( what would elsewhere cost £60 cost £80 Double room and Breakfast).

Move it closer to our home!

That the Restaurants were just a bit cheaper.

Possibilty fo solo trips and for Canoe trips on the River.

There were few street names on the buildings.

Better quality guest houses dirty uncared for cramped smelly looks 1970's not 2009.

Signpost of footpath either missing altogether + little info as to distanace to next town / village etc.

Castle- also books just kept outdoors at Castle.

Free parking! I know it's not possible.

The Staff in the Tourist info Centre Sat 25/07/09

More Restaurants

More signposting in town. When we arrived, couldnot see the signs

A bit less clouds rain.

Clearer signs in Bookshops for centre of books.

Cheaper public transport. (clutching at straws here Hay is great).

The public toilets were shambolic. Doors did not lock. one of two washbasins did not work. No soap, out of the ark.

Tackle the dreadful road signage, in particular Hereford, Hay seems to have disapeared off the map. Someone need to remeasure mileage.

Weather raining again.

A bit more quality in the Restaurants.

Downtown toilets

Signposting!

A Bakers which make up Sandwiches- we couldn't find one that would oblige 12 noon on a Saturday.

Disabled PARKING

Improve bus service which are sparce and expensive. Make the car park smaller.

Traffic in centre/small pedestrian paths make being a Pedestrian not always easy

Some more good eating placesopen all day & evening

Better indication of foothills in the Black Mountains.

There seems to be a problemwith drivers parking on double yellow lines causing obstruction

It would be very helpful if the Tourist Information was open more often and didnt close fro lunch

Signing-Trying to find streets while in the rain frustrating.Could Bookshops display in windows the numberthey are allocated on Bookshop Location Map?

Road Signs

Don't change a thing. Actualy don't allow any chain shops on the High Street.

A TIC that doesnt close at Lunch & enthusiastic staff that wanted to sell the area to you.

Consistancy of food in restaurants and improvement of quality of service.Make sure Public Toilets have plenty of soap & kept clean

The weather.Seriously it is hard for the disabled-narrow pavements,steps etc.I dont bring Mother any more

Choice of higher quality restaurants.

Weather

Could do with another restaurant to go to in the evening, other than a pub.

The weather (although this year unlike last year, was sunny some of the time).

Toilets such a nice place,and the Toilets by the Car Park are still awful

More pedestrian signs

A totally vegetarian restaurant

Stagger the shops opening hours a little, so that there are some open later.

Make it traffic free.

More high quality restaurants, like the Swan at Hay.

More cash points.

Better Weather!!

Better Internet Access. (Internet Cloud)?

Would not change a thing

Evening entertainment ie, things for families to attend.

Footpath signs in surrounding countryside.

Make Toilets available at more than 1 point on the Festival site

more eating places.

Maybe a different type of restaurant, other than pub or Indian.

slightly cheaper to eat out

I was unable to buy a film for my camera! Also 4pm closing of tea shops and 9pm last order of dinners.

Pedestrianisation-narrow streets not suitable for the Motor Car

Not enough restaurants.

More restaurants. Continue to resist chain stores, encourage independant retailers Thanks!

Happy as is.

Some more restaurants. More dog friendly stiles.

The Weather.

Don't change a thing.

As a walker, I could not ask for anything to be changed.

Pedestrians the centre of Hay

Conservation policy should be specialy applied for re properties in town renovation etc. Should be inkeeping no plastic windows in order that the town remain unique beautiful and worth a visit.

A wet weather non-shopping attraction.

Need for more directional road signs on way. Hay has an international reputation that brought us from Australia. The fact that there are no road signs from surrounding town like Hereford is ridiculous.

Nothing strikes us.

Public Toilets.

Parking & Offas Dyke bus more days

A veggie restaurant

Can't think of anthing

Remember every visitor is important, redesign maps

Stop unsympathetic Building Developments on the outskirts of the lovely old town

BETTER TOILET FACILITIES AND MORE PUBLIC SEATING

The Toilets need a jolly good clean, the floor too, and it needs decorating, it is bad for tourists

Cheaper and better food needed at the Festival & locally

Too quiet on Saturday night

Signs to Hay On Wye, Places to Eat

Don't change something thats good

longer opening times for shops/tourist information

Signposts to Hay On Wye. Places to eat.

public loos

NOTHING

please do not obstruct narrow pavements with signs, it is very inconveint for disabled people

Cheaper food on site

Parking for cars. Need benches in town. Not enough parks to visit when tired

would have stayed longer with longer permit stay in the car park

More Antique Shops

Eating places opened later

More tables and chair's outside teashops for people with dogs.

Better Bus service between Hereford/Hay/Brecon (No 39/39a)

Pubs/restaurants open 7 days a week, some closed Monday in August!!

Evening entertainment e.g Theatre.

spent some time thinking about this,but cant think of an answer

Lower Prices

Provide a change machine at car park or Tourist info place. Why do you need car Registration details this seems intrusive.

Kilvets Pub Table service was poor.

More restaurant choice.

Weather

Weather (closer to Pearth Australia)

Public Toilets.

The Public Toilets

Better display of shop opening times.

More eating places in evening! Also it's a shame that the Bookshops close so early they used to stay open till late evening.

More evening Food Venues

Toilets Mens filty & blocked, disabled mens locked, my son had to use Ladies.

Clean up the Toilets!!!

Improve quality of footpath round edge of town. One section between newport street and Black Lion Inn was overgrown with brambles and nettles!

Less Rain!!

Availabilty of Taxis/Public transport.

Less Cars.Even no cars in Town Centre

Don't know

Free parking

Stop building houses like the ones opposite the globe, don't spoil Hay!

Make it more like Toytown

No speeding tractors

Larger variety of restaurants. Keep small town atmosphere, no chain stores!

Cant think of anything

car parking charges

festival nearer town

Open Castle to public.

Pedestrianisation,prices in bars/restaurants extortionate

I would have liked a 'walk round'booklet from Tourist Information

Better tea/coffee shops (e.g. River cafe in glasbury)

Dinner until 10pm for those who are wishing other times can come back later.

Food at Festival was pricey

Tiolets and parking

Stick to main roads don't use Sat Nav.

Parking

Nothing,keep it as it is

Mor child friendly eateries.

Cafe's and tea shops staying open later into the evening.

Parking facilities.

Better parking.

Bus to Train service is inadequate, missed events because of it. Sign posts could be better.

Provide areas eg small park / garden spaces with good benches for sitting.

Better Bus links all year not just in the Festival.

Better mobil coverage.

Some other emphasis than Bookshops.

Signposts as we entered was obscured and made it confusing.

Nothing.

Another restaurant.

Only spent 2 hours there.

The footpath form the river to the old Black Lion Pub (marked on the tourist town plan) is very overgrown with nettles and briars is almost impasable it needs opening up.

Keep it as it is.

Very tight squeeze in Spar Shop, don't thind a wheelchair user could go around the aisles.

the narrow streetsbeing used by cars only when access is essential

Cheaper Festival prices

cheaper food prices

Flowers on the Window

I'll tell you when i've had a full week here next year!Nothing comes to mind at the moment

Food Pricing Perhaps

Shelter when raining / cold.

Too many Bookshop's.

Ladies toilets at the info centre need a better extractor fan, not pleasant today.

Random Listing