The Royal Parks 2004 Research Report:

The Royal Parks 2004 Research Report: 1) In-park Visitor Survey 2) Visitor Telephone Survey 3) Non-Visitor Telephone Survey Greenwich Park, Bushy Park, St James’s Park & Green Park Prepared for: Prepared by: JN: Date: The Royal Parks Synovate UK 940393(01/02), 941039 December 2004 Structure of Report Background & Business Objectives Research Objectives Methodology Summary of Findings Conclusions & Recommendations Research Findings – In-park Visitor Survey – Visitor Telephone Survey – Non-visitor Telephone Survey Background & Business Objectives The Royal Parks wished to put in place a significantly enhanced Visitor Research Programme, starting in 2004, to contribute towards achieving its 2003/4 – 2005/6 Business Objectives, as well as guiding future strategies and Park programmes The Business Objectives can be summarised as follows: To improve the quality and range of visitor services To protect, conserve and enhance the environment of the Parks To develop policies and initiatives to encourage wider use of the Parks To raise the profile, understanding & value of the Parks To manage the Parks efficiently and effectively Research Objectives There are a number of objectives, divided into three tiers of importance: Primary Objectives To continue measuring against Government KPI targets, as well as establishing new improved measures and indicators, and benchmarks for them; To gain an understanding of the decision process that visitors go through when considering visiting the Parks, and how visitors can be influenced to visit the Parks; To investigate barriers to park use and how non- and infrequent users can be encouraged to visit the Parks; To segment and characterise users, infrequent users and non-users; To provide robust visitor count data, including the number of overseas visitors; Secondary Objectives To determine the effect of weather and season on Park use and perceptions; To investigate which facilities and services visitors expect or would like that are not currently offered; Tertiary Objectives 10 To benchmark The Royal Parks against other (Metropolitan) Parks and attractions (esp free ones); To gain feedback on major planned projects; To investigate and, if possible, quantify the contribution of the Parks to the quality of life in the capital Methodology Overview Of Programme 2004 2005 Exploratory Qualitative Research Greenwich, Bushy, St James’s & Green Hyde, Regent’s, Richmond, Kensington Gdns In-park Visitor Survey As above As above Telephone Visitor and Non-Visitor Survey As above As above Focus Groups (Issue or Parkbased) Visitor Count & Overseas Visitor Count All Parks (tbc) How Research Parts Address Objectives Exploratory Qualitative Research Provides insights relevant to all objectives and set-up of other research phases Measure KPI’s Decision process In-park Visitors Survey Facilities & services (Exit Interviews) Visitor Count & Overseas Visitor Count Visitor Count Weather etc Telephone Visitor & Non-Visitor Survey Usage Barriers Segment users/non-users Weather & seasons Benchmark against parks etc 10 Contribution to quality of life Will provide insights relevant to all objectives and investigate issues from other research phases Focus Groups In-Park Visitor Survey Visitors were interviewed as they left the Parks Parks were surveyed in 2004, in 2005 Survey took place in Summer (July and early August) and Autumn (late September to mid October) ‘Next available respondent’ recruitment technique used Survey was paper-based, with interviewer reading out questions Interview lasted about 10 minutes Interviews took place at various times on weekdays, and weekends Interviewers rotated around different Park exits In 2004 and 2005, c.200 interviews were conducted in each of the Parks in Summer, and c.140 at each in Autumn Telephone Visitor and Non-Visitor Survey Respondents interviewed on the telephone in their homes Parks surveyed in 2004, in 2005 Survey took place in October Interviewing took place in areas within an agreed defined radius for each of the parks Interviews took place in evenings and weekends to ensure no bias to non-workers 150 interviews amongst non-users per park (who have not visited in the last 12 months) 100 interviews amongst users per park (who have visited in the last 12 months) Non-users interview lasts 12 mins; users: mins Summary of Findings Non-Visitor Telephone Survey Likelihood of Visiting, Reasons for not Visiting and Ways of Encouraging Visits Likelihood of Visiting Parks in The Next 12 Months Mean Scores 18% Greenwich Park Bushy Park St James's Park Green Park Extremely likely 27% 13% 11% 7% 30% 39% 27% 26% 23% Fairly likely 20% 33% 30% Not very likely 5% 18% 24% 6% 36% Extremely unlikely 3% 5% 2.5 2.5 2.3 2.0 Don't know Base: Greenwich (150), Bushy (150), St James’s (150), Green (151) Over half of those interviewed about Bushy Park claimed they are at least fairly likely to visit it Around two fifths claim to visit Greenwich and St James’s The lowest proportion is for Green Park with a third Reasons for Not Recently/ Never Visiting (Prompted) Greenwich Bushy St James’s Green (Base: 150) (Base: 150) (Base: 150) (Base: 151) I am too busy 61% 45% 42% 11% No reason to visit it 39% 45% 47% 55% Difficult to park 25% 13% 27% 19% Difficult to get to 22% 15% 25% 23% Prefer other parks etc 21% 42% 56% 50% Don’t know what’s there 18% 22% 21% 34% It’s too far 15% 19% 35% 33% Doesn’t cater for older children 11% 9% 6% 5% Too much traffic through it 10% 13% 11% 8% Park is too busy 10% 4% 5% 9% Don’t like parks generally 9% 3% 3% 7% Isn’t well set-up for visitors 7% 9% 5% 7% Doesn’t cater for younger children 5% 3% 7% 5% It’s too big 3% 1% 1% 2% Wouldn’t feel safe there 3% 13% 4% 1% None of the above 7% 10% 9% 11% How People Could be Encouraged to Visit the Parks (Unprompted) If had more time 9% 9% 4% If held events/activities etc 9% If went with other people 4% Better parking facilities 3% 3% 4% More information If attraction to visit e.g museum Good/better weather Nothing 7% 6% 15% 14% 12% 19% 9% Greenwich 8% Bushy St James's 6% 6% 6% 3% 4% 5% 3% 5% 2% Green 1% 8% 25% 23% 27% 26% Base: Greenwich (150), Bushy (150), St James’s (150), Green (151) How People Could be Encouraged to Visit Parks (Prompted With aGreenwich List) Bushy St James’s Green (Base: 150) (Base: 150) (Base: 150) (Base: 151) Easier to park 39% 31% 42% 32% If knew what was there 39% 45% 40% 50% If toilets are improved 39% 36% 29% 23% If better set-up for visitors 32% 32% 23% 27% If easier to get to 31% 26% 41% 35% If weren't so far 25% 23% 43% 38% Cater for young children 24% 17% 17% 21% Less traffic through park 23% 19% 27% 19% Cater for older children 21% 16% 19% 19% If I felt safe there 20% 26% 19% 19% If footpaths were better 17% 21% 15% 12% If not so busy 15% 10% 11% 11% None of the above 23% 20% 15% 21% Park Activities and Facilities, Rating of How Parks Improve Quality of Life and Influence of Weather Awareness of Activities, Places of Interest, Services and Facilities Offered at Parks Greenwich Bushy St James’s Green (Base: 150) (Base: 150) (Base: 150) (Base: 151) Historical buildings 22% 6% 4% 3% Catering/refreshments 19% 8% 18% 6% Wildlife 16% 17% 9% 2% Flowers 16% 15% 8% 4% Observatory 13% - - - Children’s playground 13% 25% 5% 3% Feeding ducks 10% 9% 9% 6% Info on historic/wildlife 9% 4% 3% 1% Picnic areas 7% 7% 5% 6% Footpaths 7% 9% 6% 8% Model boating 7% 5% 1% 1% Concerts 4% 1% 5% 3% Deck chairs 4% 1% 4% 5% Good views/scenery 4% 1% 1% 1% Fishing 1% 9% 2% 1% Lake/pond 3% 6% 3% 2% Cycle paths 1% 5% 1% 1% NONE/ DON’T KNOW 41% 47% 59% 70% Activities, Services & Facilities Would Like To See (Unprompted) Activities etc for children Events/music/concerts 6% 8% 8% 8% 5% 7% 9% 5% Catering facilities etc Toilet facilities None/Don't know 13% 5% Greenwich Bushy 12% St James 11% Green 2% 4% 3% 3% 65% 66% 70% 60% Base: Greenwich (150), Bushy (150), St James’s (150), Green (151) Top mentions only Agreement With Statement – ‘improves the quality of life in this area’ Greenwich Park 63% Bushy Park 67% St James's Park 67% 70% Green Park Agree strongly Agree slightly Neither agree nor disagree 20% 5% 5% 6% 27% 19% 20% Disagree slightly Base: All except who don’t like going to parks: Greenwich (115), Bushy (129), St James (118), Green (103) – excludes don’t knows 2%3%2% 7%1% 7% 5%4%1% Disagree strongly Extent to Which Weather Influences Decision To Visit Greenwich Park 49% Bushy Park 45% St James's Park 46% Green Park 32% 32% 32% 44% A great deal 29% Quite a lot Doesn't very much Base: All except those who don’t like going to parks: Greenwich (136), Bushy (146), St James’s (145), Green (141) 11% 4% 11% 12% 16% 11% 8% 9% Doesn't at all Non-Visitor Profile (Telephone Survey) Age Gender 5% 16-24 5% 7% 6% 38% 37% 44% 38% Male 29% 25-44 33% 62% 63% 56% 62% 43% Female 40% 64% 45+ 59% 47% 52% Greenwich Bushy St James's Green Base: Greenwich (150), Bushy (150), St James’s (150), Green (151) Ethnic Origin Social Grade 32% 72% 84% White European 66% 70% 2% 8% 13% 11% 1% Americas Bushy 1% 1% Other C2 St James's 23% 9% 21% 17% 31% 33% 39% 46% 40% C1 Greenwich 0% AB 11% 25% 22% 26% 15% 12% 15% 6% 7% 22% Green DE 17% 22% 22% 38% London Average (2002) Base: Greenwich (150), Bushy (150), St James’s (150), Green (151) Age of Children in Household Household Composition 23% One 31% 30% 29% 31% 26% 34% Two Five + 12% 17% 13% 11% 7% 8% 6% 7% None 0-5 19% 19% 14% 18% Three Four 41% Green Base: Greenwich (150), Bushy (150), St James’s (150), Green (151) 7% 15% 20% 20% 6-10 17% 11% 19% 9% 11-15 18% 18% 19% 10% Greenwich Bushy St James's 62% 70% 57% 68% 16-17 10% 10% 7% 4% Base: All with at least people in household: Greenwich (101), Bushy (112), St James’s (88), Green (104)