RORY STEWART PRAISES ROUTE 66 PROJECT

Rory Stewart recently held an informal meeting with Director of Eden Arts – Adrian Lochhead and Eden District Council Leader – Kevin Beaty, to discuss ‘Cumbria Route 66’ – an exciting Eden Art’s project that aims to increase tourism to sites of cultural significance along the A66.

Cumbria Route 66 is an identity for mid-Cumbria from the fells in the east to the coast on the west. Aiming to emulate the success of Route 66 in the USA. Eden Arts are working with partners at Eden District Council, Allerdale and Copeland Borough Councils, Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners, the Local Enterprise Partnership and ARUP to develop a sustainable project that seeks to promote this part of Cumbria’s tremendous cultural and landscape and heritage offer.

Adrian Lochhead, Director of Eden Arts, says, “we are delighted to be working with a broad range of partners and contributors from across Cumbria on this project which is being so positively responded to as a welcome approach by tourism, cultural and heritage sectors”.

The project aims to create a ‘brand’ that describes a different area of Cumbria to the Lake District – by highlighting cultural assets all along the A66; from Brough and Appleby Castles and towns, through Penrith, Keswick, Cockermouth to Whitehaven, Workington and Maryport. Which, the organisers hope will boost the county economically and culturally.

Speaking about the project Rory Stewart said “Cumbria Route 66 is a fantastic opportunity for Cumbrian businesses to help create a tourist brand that stretches right across our county. The commitment from local businesses has been fantastic and by promoting our region’s very own Route 66 I am hopeful we can develop our region’s strong tourist identity. Cumbria Route 66 is the latest in a long-line of great ideas from Eden Arts, and I cannot wait to see it take off.”

Attached photo l-r Kevin Beaty, Rory Stewart, Adrian Lochhead