petersham group credentials september 2016

PETERSHAM GROUP | May, 2015

Credentialspresentation by

Petersham Group -International LeisureBusiness Consultancy

September 2016

Petersham Group is a specialist leisure consultancyworking across the Experience Economy. Established in2003, the business is run by its two founding directors -Jonathan Rounce and Keith Thomas - who jointly haveover 65-years experience in the international leisureindustry.

That extensive, ‘hands-on’ experience embraces both thedevelopment and the operation of museums, visitorattractions, family entertainment centres, historic &heritage properties, hotels and restaurants.

Our work is truly international. Over the last 5-years wehave undertaken projects in Portugal, China, Kuwait,Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Kenya, Malaysia,Mauritius, Vietnam, Egypt, Spain, Sweden and the USA, andextensively across the UK – a broad and dynamic base fromwhich to identify emerging trends and to identify thebenchmarks of success (and failure).

As specialist consultants to the leisure industry we work forlocal and national government bodies, commercialenterprises, developers and operators of museums andvisitor attractions, architects, designers and a range ofother entities across the private, public and not-for-profitsectors

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Pe t e r s h a m G ro u p

Keith Thomas & Jonathan Rounce running a workshop in Lisbon in May 2015

What do we do? As advisors to the leisure industry and thewider Experience Economy our services are wide rangingbut, when narrowed down to our most frequently calledupon services, the majority of our assignments fall into oneof the following categories:

•Strategic development & Master Planning advice

•Feasibility Studies

•Business planning & financial modeling;

•Project management/attraction development;

•Operational consultancy & Executive Management;

•Options appraisals;

•Funding advice & assistance;

Working smart– our core focus is on advising on thefunding, development and management of visitordestinations and attractions, helping clients and theiradvisers to translate ideas into viable leisure businesspropositions that meet their own aims and objectives ,which interest, excite and inspire visitors and which areeconomically viable, efficient and cost effective to operate.

Working collaboratively – We frequently work alongside,or in teams, sometimes with architects & designers,sometimes with historians or researchers, sometimes withexisting management teams. We may bring together andlead a team as project managers or we may sit alongsidethe client and their team, helping them to navigate theirway through what is often a complex and unfamiliarprocess.

Our experience shows that it is essential to plan and definewhat is needed first – setting out the basis of the masterplan, the type of development or attraction sought, thefundamental aims and objectives of the project and of howit will be delivered and operated.

In parallel with this, carrying out Market Analysis to identifywho will visit and in what numbers, and an EconomicFeasibility Study should result in a robust business plan thatis designed to secure funding for the project.

We also work with existing organisations, destinations andattractions, seeking ways in which they can operate moreeffectively and deliver memorable experiences to theirvisitors.

Our associations – we are also involved in a number ofindustry and professional bodies, either individually or ascorporate members. In this way we belong to:

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Wh at d o we d o ?


S t a f f P r o f i l e

Keith ThomasBSc. Hons (Lond.)

Areas of Expertise:

• Development of projects from concept,through planning and design, to launchand into successful operation,

• Integration of leisure and entertainmentcomponents into complex master plans

• The organisational and contractualstructuring of leisure developmentprojects.

Thumbnail Career:

2003 - Date;Petersham Group;International leisure businessconsultancyChief Executive

1998 -2003;Grant Leisure Group;International visitor attractionsconsultancy & attractionsoperatorDirector

1992 –1998;Vardon Attractions Ltd. (nowMerlin Entertainments plc)Development Director in chargeof all aspects of new projectlocation, build and opening

1985-1992;Sea Life Centres Ltd.General Manager of Sea LifeCentre aquarium projects in UK,Holland

Previously;1983 Graduate in MarineBiology from Royal HollowayCollege, University of London

Current Experience:• International Museum Dubai. Currently undertaking a full Market and

Feasibility Study on behalf of the owners of the IMD, an internationalstandard museum to be located within the Dubai Parks and Resortdevelopment, Dubai (2016-present)

• Il Galala Sokhna Resort, Egypt: Master planning the leisure &entertainment components of a new resort (2015-present)

• Discovery Island, Portugal. Developed a master plan, and carried outmarket analysis and an initial feasibility study to create a brand newdestination anchored by a theme park near Lisbon (2014 – present).

• Cardiff Bioquarium: feasibility study and planning for an international-standard aquarium to be built in Cardiff, Wales (2014-present)

Recent Experience:• World of Discoveries, Portugal: feasibility study and concept development

for a new attraction located in Porto (opened 2014)• Melaka Alive! Malaysia: Operational Planning for a historical theme park

project in the UNESCO World Heritage city centre of Melaka (opened2015)

• Phu Quoc, Vietnam: Feasibility study for a ‘Madame Tussauds-style’waxworks attraction for leading leisure and real estate developer/operator, Vingroup. Master planning for the 100 Ha. ‘leisurequarter’(Delivered 2015)

Other Relevant Experience:• Marja-Vantaa, Finland: master planning of leisure provision as part of the

development of a new town being planned for the outskirts of Helsinki(Delivered 2013)

• ‘Sea Life Centre, Porto’: Site location and negotiation, grant fundingapplication support and general operational advice to MerlinEntertainments (Opened 2009)

• Madeira Story Centre, Madeira: Overall project management, businessplanning, operational management for this successful visitor attraction(Opened 2005)



Jonathan N RounceFCA FIH

Areas of Expertise:

• Leisure trends• Business & operational planning• Integration of leisure into mixed-use

schemes• Financial structuring & funding• Corporate governance

Thumbnail Career:

2001 – DatePetersham Group, International leisurebusiness consultancyChairman

1994 - 2001Grant Leisure Group, Internationalvisitor attractions consultancyMD & Finance Director

1992 - 1994Roux Brothers Food importing businessFinance Director

1988 - 1992Arlington Securities Plc, PropertydevelopmentMD of leisure arm, with responsibility formarina, golf course, catering & otherleisure development projects

1978 - 1988Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC)Established & ran the London-basedtourism & leisure consultancy practice

PreviouslyProfessional training as an hotelier andcaterer and then as a CharteredAccountant, followed by 3-years withHallway Hotels Overseas Ltd, initially as aHotel Comptroller then opening newhotels and finally as an F&B Manager

Current Experience:• Blackpool ‘Central Leisure Quarter’ - developing a new leisure

vision for this 7.15 hectare site to generate an additional 1mvisitors a year to Britain’s largest coastal resort

• Osea Island, UK - business planning to support the re-financingof this 330-acre private events venue & holiday island 2-hoursdrive-time from central London

• Silverstone - business planning for a major new £18.2m visitorexperience, including accessible archive and heritage toursacross the wider Silverstone site in Northamptonshire

Recent Experience:• Las Vegas, USA: Preparation of a project validation report for a

new London-themed thrill park to be developed on the LasVegas ‘Strip’ and subsequently undertook a valuation of thebusiness

• Mauritius - Reviewing & critiquing a series of leisure masterplans that had been prepared for one of the island’s major landholders, but which the land holder disputed

• Little London – extensive business planning and financialmodelling and subsequent funding negotiations for a majornew visitor attraction to be developed in London

Other Relevant Experience:• HM Tower of London - leisure development master planning

for one of London’s most iconic visitor attractions• 5-years as a non-executive director of Brocket Hall, a private

events venue near Welwyn in Hertfordshire• 2 years as a non-executive director of Albion Venture Capital

Trust, stepping down in 2014 and now serving on the AlbionVentures LLP Advisory Council

• Currently serving as a trustee of both the Florence NightingaleMuseum and Children & The Arts, and Chair of the latter’sFinance and Audit Committee



P r o p o s e d

P l a n

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David EdwardsRIBA, ARB, MAA

Areas of Expertise:

• Master planning and strategy• Urban planning and design• Environmental design and sustainability• Regeneration and public realm

A Chartered Member of the Royal Institute of BritishArchitects (RIBA) and the Danish ArchitectureAssociation (MAA), David is registered with theArchitects Registration Board and is a member of theUK's Urban Design GroupRelevant Experience:• Greenwich Peninsula Master Plan, London, UK• International Media Zone Master Plan, UAE• Master Plan for Central Jinan, China• Qingdao Eco City Master Plan, China• Science Town Master Plan, King Abdullah University of

Science and Technology, KSA• Stoneythorpe Sustainable Village Master Plan, UK• Thuwal Waterfront Master Plan, KAUST, KSA• Strategic Vision for Glasgow Clyde Gateway, UK• Strategic Vision for the Aire Valley Eco-Town, UK• Strategic Vision for a Thames Gateway National Park,

UK• Strategic Vision for the Talbot Gateway, Blackpool, UK• Shuanggang New Town Master Plan, China• Strategic Vision for Nottingham Eastside, UK



Annie LucasBA (Hons), MA

Areas of Expertise:

• Research• Project management• Marketing & Audience Development• Interpretation of historic venues• Theatre / Performance venues• IT (MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite)

Thumbnail Career:

2015- DatePetersham Group, International leisurebusiness consultancyConsultant / researcher

2014- DateSt Agnes Chamber of CommerceProject Manager (Part time)

2013Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art GalleryMarketing and Audience DevelopmentConsultant

2008-2013Rochester CathedralInterpretation Manager

2007-2008English National Ballet SchoolPA to the Director

Previously2002 – 2008Multiple performance venuesFollowing graduation in BA Hons Designfor performance (St. Martin’s School ofArt) & MA in Costume Design, wasCostume Designer for touring companiesincluding Royal Opera House, NationalBallet of Ireland, English National BalletSchool, The Scoop, and Sadlers Wellsmain stage

Current Experience:• St Agnes Chamber of Commerce - Innovating events and

projects which will actively engage the community with StAgnes thereby driving the economy there and promoting localbusiness. Planning, Programming and Delivery of Annual‘Outsider’ festival. A 3 day festival of the Outdoors with arts,heritage, sport and culinary aspects.

• Rochester Bridge Trust- leading the input from PetershamGroup into this new consulting project in respect of theproposed feasibility study on the future of the Bridge Chamberand Chapel, Rochester

Other Experience:• Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery: Appointed to report on

current position and recommend for future audiencedevelopment work to target audiences in line with BoroughCouncil’s objectives, and to inform the writing of a newaudience development plan ( last revised 2006)

• Rochester Cathedral: Hidden Treasures; Fresh ExpressionsInterpretation Manager - developing creative content forexhibition, audience development and outreach elements ofRound 2 Heritage Lottery Fund bid (£3.5 million) for projectentitled Hidden Treasures Fresh Expressions designed to revealhidden treasure of Cathedral collection and widen participationand access to the country’s second oldest Cathedral. The grantwas successfully won in Feb 2013

• Rochester Cathedral: Creative Director of HLF funded project(£1million) - Ancient Stones; Untold Stories. Key responsibilitiesincluded: Managing organisation wide re-branding of Cathedralin association with ASUS project. Marketing & PR (authoring a 3year marketing and audience development strategy, creativecopywriting, press releases, advertising, media contact)maintaining and updating relevant pages of website, volunteermanagement (350 in total, 80 direct reports) and evaluation.

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E x a m p l e s o f o u r wo r k

The International Museum Dubai,

The International Museum of Dubai (IMD) is a new projectthat will see the creation of an exciting new museum inDubai, within the United Arab Emirates. IMD is thebrainchild and creation of Mr Abdulmalek S. Alashaikh, aRiyadh-based Saudi businessman in conjunction with MrVictor Pracas, an Australian living in Dubai, in the UnitedArab Emirates who owns an extraordinary and uniquecollection of over 15,000 antiquities and artefacts that havebeen collected privately by Mr Pracas and his family over aperiod of some 96 years.

To be located within the Dubai Parks and Resortsdevelopment, adjacent to three new international standardtheme parks, a resort hotel and waterpark, IMD will not be atraditional or conventional museum. It will inform andeducate, but additionally, it will also captivate, entertain,stimulate and intrigue through the adoption of exciting andpro-active interpretation techniques and presentationalstyles, utilising cutting edge technology and internationalexpertise. It will be conceived first and foremost as anentertainment and amusement venue – a world-class, fullyinteractive and entertaining museum justifying a full dayvisit by those who come.

Our tasks include a review and assessment of the existingbusiness plan, to be followed by the development of aMarket and Feasibility Study that will examine and define allaspects of the new project, clearly setting out the businesscase for the investor group that has expressed interest inthe project.

Central to our work will be the development of the conceptfor the visitor journey through the attraction, with theobjective if ensuring a memorable and inspiring experiencefor all visitors, be they local residents or internationaltourists. This concept will go on to inform the detail of thearchitectural scheme, currently under development.

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International Museum Dubai (Dubai)

The Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural District is a 13hectare site in the Al-Sha’ab area on the Western shore. Itwill house four world-class Museums, a Fine Arts Centre, atheatre and two Information Centres, with the facilitiesbeing linked by a central covered ‘street’ allowing visitorsand residents to pass through the site from the city to theseashore of the Arabian Gulf. The buildings, with a totalfloor area of 40,000m2, are simple, yet stunning, and use acontemporary reference to traditional architecturalplanning.

Petersham Group, working in collaboration with renownedmuseum and attraction design specialists, Haley SharpeDesigns, has provided a programme of Operational andInstitutional Planning Consultancy to the project. This hasprovided the project team with the necessary informationand expertise to plan for the future management of thismajor museum project, and to make key informed decisionsregarding operational matters during the developmentphase until the Client’s museum management team is inplace.

Our tasks have included reviewing the potential market anddemand for the project and developing a strategy for itsoperation within the context of the current architecturaland exhibit design.

We will continue to work with the project team to ensurethat the Centre is delivered ready for ‘operationalexcellence’.

With a view to the appointment of a management company

for the Museums, we have prepared detailed RFP’s on theClient’s behalf for the selection and appointment of asuitably experienced company to manage and operate thesite. Our work has been used to evaluate tender bids andestablish performance measures for the successfultendering company.

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Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural District (Kuwait)

Retained by the Heritage Project Director of SilverstoneCircuits Limited, Petersham Group were brought in atshort notice to prepare a Key Assumptions & IndicativeFinancial Outcomes document as part of a preliminary

Round II Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid. This is now

being followed up by more detailed business planninginputs and the preparation of a comprehensive financial

model to support the full Stage II bid, which is due in May

2016.

In 2013 the British Racing Drivers’ Club was successful in itsRound I funding application to the HLF to help develop a6,181m2 motor racing heritage attraction at Silverstone.That resulted in a grant of £446k towards the developmentof their Round II bid for a £9.1m grant towards the £18.2mSilverstone Heritage Experience project.

The project vision is to bring the extensive heritage ofSilverstone and British motor racing to life through thecreation of an exciting visitor experience, accessible archivehousing the BRDC collection and a series of heritage toursstopping off at iconic sites around the circuit.

The Silverstone Heritage Experience will house a series ofinteractive exhibitions and displays within the onlyremaining World War II hangar on the site.

The hangar will be extensively refurbished, re-clad andextended to create a fantastic, authentic backdrop wherevisitors will follow a route through the exhibition that tracesthe outline of the circuit. It will not just be a museum aboutcars, but an exciting visitor journey that uses the latest

technology to tell compelling stories of the people that havebeen part of the site’s history and those who have played animportant role in the history of British motor racing. Thenew facility will also feature a welcome area, shop, café,education rooms and circuit viewing gallery. In addition tothe main indoor Experience there will be bus-based guidedand non-guided walking tour options so that visitors can alsosee key parts of the Silverstone racetrack and

associated facilities.

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Silverstone Heritage Experience, Silverstone (UK)

Petersham Group have been retained by Montagu Evans

to work with them for Blackpool Council and a number of

other key agencies to re-visit the planned ‘Central Leisure

Quarter’ - a site of 7.15 hectares fronting onto Blackpool’s

Promenade. The town already attracts some 10m adult

visitors a year (15m in total) and wants to establish a new

iconic attraction or attraction cluster on the CLQ site to

draw an additional 1m visitors a year and encourage

longer stays and greater spending in the town.

Following a series of face to face and telephone

interviews with key stakeholders the focus turned to the

identification of leisure development concepts that

would suit the CLQ, whilst complementing the already

diverse range and significant number of existing

attractions in Blackpool.

Extensive reference was also made to new and emerging

leisure development schemes elsewhere in the UK and

internationally. Following a workshop session in which site

master‐‐planning options were reviewed and assessed as

series of soft market testing discussions were held with

potential developers, operators and interested parties.

In seeking to establish the CLQ as a major new driver forthe town consideration is being given to the full spectrum offacilities that will need to be developed to support theanchor attraction(s), including retail and food and beverageoffers, parking and other leisure & entertainment facilities.

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Blackpool’s ‘Central Leisure Quarter’ (UK)

In 2008 Bournemouth City Council embarked on a majorpublic consultation exercise to debate its ‘Town CentreMaster Vision’ – a blueprint to enhance the town andenable it to compete more effectively as a distinctivedestination in which to work, live or visit.

As part of that process Petersham Group was retained tostage a series of workshops to identify a range ofdeliverable development options for three key areas ofthe town: Pier Approach, the former Winter Gardens andthe magnificent Victorian Gardens themselves.

We assembled three expert panels, drawing on localresidents, traders, Council Members and Officers, external‘experts’ from outside Bournemouth, including some fromoverseas, and ourselves. After 3-days of extensivebrainstorming and cluster mapping, there emerged a raft ofvaluable and innovative development ideas, priorities andthemes, which we brought together into a comprehensivereport document that formed the basis of thedevelopment master plan.

That report subsequently formed a vital input to the jointventure vehicle that was established between the Counciland a private development company to bring about theregeneration of the Town Centre, and those three sites inparticular.

In 2011, the Joint Venture development company bought akey strategic site on the sea front and in 2012, started workon developing the first phase of the master plan – a £350mregeneration programme.

The workshops proved to be a very creative and, above all,cost effective way of highlighting sound development ideasand concepts and greatly assisted the Council’s planningprocess.

The recommendations arising from this master planningexercise are now being implemented across the city.

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Bournemouth Town Centre Vision (UK)

The Municipality of Barreiro, part of the greater Lisbonregion in Portugal is located south of the River Tagusestuary and was in the past a significant transportationhub, particularly being the main northern terminus fortrains running to Lisbon from the south. Now, althoughbenefitting from excellent fast-ferry links to historicdowntown Lisbon, those rail services run direct over newbridges into Lisbon and a large part of the waterfront andtown centre lie underused.

A project development group, comprising the RegionalTourist Board, the Municipality of Barreiro and PortugueseRailways engaged Petersham Group to undertake anexercise, initially to develop a Strategic Vision for Barreirocentered around the Experience Economy by means ofstakeholder workshops.

The intention is that this will be followed up by an appraisalof the different options available and a benchmarkingexercise, considering comparable developments elsewherein Europe, before the creation of a master plan for thedevelopment of the vision which will locate the differentcomponents in the optimum position, taking into accountthe commercial and funding realities.

Petersham Group has proposed a route map andmilestones and will go on to guide the process inassociation with the project group.

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Lisbon ‘Barreiro Strategic Vision & Master Plan’ (Portugal)

Galala Resort, Al-Sokhna, Egypt

Client: Tatweer Misr

The project: Egyptian development company, Tatweer Misrare developing the Il Galala resort with the aim of itbecoming the premier destination on the Sokhna coast,facing the Gulf of Suez. Utilising to the full the stunningmountain and coastal topography, a new resort is beingcreated over a 10 year period offering internationalstandard hotel accommodation, over 2,000 luxuryresidences and an unparalleled range of sporting,entertainment and leisure facilities, a mix that will beunique to Egypt.

From the vibrant bustle of the sea front and new harbour,with its distinctive boardwalks reaching out into the Gulf ofSuez to the solitude of the mountain-top luxury spa retreat,a series of distinctive neighbourhoods will be developedacross the 2 million sqm site, each defined by theirdistinctive architecture, sympathetic to their particularlocation, and also by the leisure and recreation offerlocated in each of these neighbourhoods.

Galala resort will be designed and built to internationalclass and quality standards, an aspirational destinationdesigned to appeal to the rapidly growing middle and upperincome groups of Egypt and in due course, to internationaltourists.

The first phase of 500,000 sqm, will be delivered within 3years and will comprise the ‘Old Town’ of townhouses,villas, commercial centre and public amphitheatre, 4* hoteland the ‘Corals’, a boardwalk complex offering a wide rangeof water sports, cafes and restaurants and a beach club.

Our role:

A project of this scale and ambition has required a multi-disciplinary team to work with the client team to createand realise a unique vision. Tatweer Misr have broughttogether sector-leading expertise from throughout Europe,the Middle East and from Egypt. Working closely withItalian master planning architects, 5+1AA and retailarchitects, BCI Design Ltd. from the UK, Petersham Group’srole in the project is to identify and locate in the masterplan a unique range of viable market-leading leisure, sportand entertainment experiences which will be successdrivers for the resort, creating a distinctive identity andcharacter for Il Galala.

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Il Gala Resort, Al-Sokhna (Egypt)

Following a scoping study carried out in 2012, PetershamGroup were retained as development and operationalconsultants to advise the Malaysian company, PekanLegasi Sdn Bhd on the development of a new ‘HeritagePark’, called Melaka Alive! , located in the southernMalaysian city of Melaka, 2-hours drive to the south ofKuala Lumpur and a 3-4 hour drive up from Singapore.

Melaka Alive! Is located in the centre of the historic oldtown, recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.The project comprises the upgrading and re-positioning of5 of the museums previously owned and operated by thecity, together with the creation of a brand new attractionstaged on the deck of a specially constructed land-basedMalay ship.

A 35-minute multi-media show, telling the story of thecountry of Malaysia from founding through toindependence involves high-resolution specialistprojection onto water screens forming the sails of the‘ship'. A range of audio-visual, pyrotechnic and specialeffects, together with live actors, all add to the show'sexcitement and appeal. Together these will form acompelling and attractive destination for tourists and forthe residents of Malaysia.

The show represents the first phase in the multi phasedevelopment of a major heritage park in which the variousmaritime and other museums will be linked together byheritage trails, programmes of events and commonmarketing.

Through a series of creative charettes, we have workedwith architects, designers and the client team to create anew master plan and development programme designedto ensure that in addition to the core museums and theshow, there are sufficient other visitor services andfacilities, including restaurants and cafés, ticketing, shopsand kiosks, toilets and car parking.

We also developed an operating strategy for phase 1 ofthe project, which opened in 2015.

This project is a good example of our experience ofworking within a sensitive and heavily ‘listed’ or similarlyprotected site.

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Melaka Alive!, Melaka (Malaysia)

The Cardiff BioQuarium , a national-scale aquarium forWales, is planned to be built in and over the historic ButeDry Dock, located in Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay. With aplanned size of between 5-6,000m2 floor area and anoutline development budget of £20 million, it will be anattraction of international status, anticipated to draw up to400,000 visitors per year.

The BioQuarium will be a new generation aquariumattraction, exhibiting a huge range of marine and freshwater fish and invertebrates, together with the mammalsand birds that live in the environments which will be re-created, including the Antarctic (where the story of theScott Expedition which left Cardiff in 1910 will be featured)and a Tropical Rain Forest with treetop canopy walkways.

Petersham Group, with their extensive experience ofdeveloping and managing wildlife attractions, particularlyaquaria, were commissioned by project leaders, TollidayGroup International FZ-LLC of Dubai, to work alongside theproject designers and architects, Kay Elliott Architects, tocarry out a full feasibility study of the economics of theproject based on a detailed study of the potential marketfor the attraction.

With the benefit of this feasibility study Petersham Groupare now working with Tolliday Group to support fundraising for the project, which is planned to be completed in

2018.

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BioQuarium, Cardiff (Wales)

Following an initial Scoping Study, Petersham Group wascontracted by Madeira-based Blandy Group SGPS asproject directors and coordinators for the developmentand subsequent operation of their ‘Madeira Story Centre’project.

Located in central Funchal, the attraction tells the story ofthe history and culture of this beautiful island in aninteractive, entertaining and informative way. It uses awide range of media, from physical and IT-basedinteractives through to costumed guides, ‘smell boxes’,models and real artefacts.

A private investment with a capital budget of €7million,supported by €3million of grant funding, the projectoccupies a pair of listed buildings, formerly warehouses, inthe old town area of Funchal. The Story Centre opened inMay 2005 and has established itself as one of the leadingtourist destinations of Madeira.

Initially contracted to assess the project’s prospectsthrough the preparation of a feasibility study andbusiness plan, we were retained to ‘see the projectthrough development to launch’.

Our responsibilities included selecting, briefing andmanaging the specialist exhibition and retail designersHaley Sharpe Design and ensuring that the designs thatwere developed matched both client and marketrequirements. Subsequently we undertook therecruitment and training of the operational managementteam, development of the opening marketing strategy,

implementation of operating and management controlsystems (including ticketing and EPOS for the shop andcafé) and assembling a retail merchandise range.

Petersham Group managed the opening of the attractionand subsequently delivered a programme of long-termmanagement support to the local team and the StoryCentre celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 2015.

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Madeira Story Centre (Madeira)

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Madeira Story Centre (Madeira)

Petersham Group were invited by the Director of theNational Historiska Museet (National Museum ofAntiquities) in Stockholm, one of Sweden’s best knownnational museums, to facilitate a workshop with theirinternal team. The objective of the workshop, which wasstaged over the course of two days, was to help them tobring together their ideas for the development andoperation of a 7,000m2 extension to the existing museum.

The aim of the new project was to create the leadingexhibition in the Nordic region focussing on the Vikingcivilization. It is envisaged that it will showcase some of theMuseum’s vast archive of objects from this period, butcurrently not on display due to lack of exhibition space.

However, its fundamental purpose is to give visitors aunique insight into what life was like during that period andto celebrate the achievements of the Viking civilisation.

The exhibition will use cutting edge museum technology,combined with techniques from the wider leisure andentertainment industry, to draw visitors back into the worldof the Vikings. The planned new extension will be a massiveattraction in its own right but an important part of the taskis to ensure that the existing museum and its collections isalso developed to allow those visitors who wish to do so, tolearn in more depth about this fascinating period. It is alsoessential that in terms of operation, the two parts of themuseum will be managed to leverage efficiencies from thelarger establishment.

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National Historiska Museet (Stockholm)

Leading Portuguese tour operator, Douroazul Lda. boughtaround 4,000m2 of old port wine warehouses in the centreof historic Porto. One part has been adapted to becometheir central headquarters and Tourist Information Centre,whilst in the other half, a brand new visitor attraction hasbeen built, opening in May 2014, telling the story of thePortuguese discoveries of Africa, Brazil, South East Asia andeventually the first circumnavigation of the globe.

Douroazul commissioned a team comprising PetershamGroup and Haley Sharpe Design to plan the attraction,carry out a feasibility study and design the concept for theproject. Working closely with Douroazul President, MarioFerreira, a wholly unique idea was developed.

The World of Discoveries attraction commences with a walkthrough area, themed as a series of representations of 15th

Century Lisbon, where guests assemble their kit for thevoyage ahead, investigate routes on reproductions of themaps of the time and take on a role play identity.

The attraction then utilises the pillared structure of thewine cellars, and includes a 10 minute long dark water ridetaking guests in specially designed ‘galleons’ through aseries of innovative scenes, each based on a geographicallocation key to the story of the Discoveries. A range ofaudio, lighting, projections, wax models, ‘peppers ghosts’and other effects are used to tell the stories. Disembarking,guests exit via a large shop stocked full of speciallycommissioned merchandise, also accessible to passingtrade, before returning to the Porto river front. There is arestaurant featuring cuisines from all of the different areas

of the world discovered by the Portuguese. This projectdemonstrates how Petersham Group works closely withdesign teams and clients to develop new and viableattraction concepts.

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World of Discoveries, Porto (Portugal)

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World of Discoveries, Porto (Portugal)

Vingroup JSC (Vingroup), the leading real estate andtourism business group in Vietnam plan the development ofa parcel of over 3,000 Hectares of land located at thenorthern end of Phu Quoc Island, off the south coats ofVietnam.

In November 2014 they completed the first phase ofdevelopment at the site which will be known as theVinpearl Phu Quoc Resort. This comprises a 5* Resort Hotelwith 750 rooms, 150 Ocean View Villas, a luxury ‘Vincharm’Spa; the Vinpearl Amusement Park, Water Park andUnderwater World Aquarium, and the 27-hole Vinpearl GolfClub Phu Quoc. Business and meeting facilities alsocombine to make this development attractive to the MICEsector.

Planning has now commenced for Phase 2, which willestablish Vinpearl Phu Quoc as a major resort. This willinclude seven main components: the largest golf coursedevelopment in the world (a total of 14 new courses), asecond 5-star resort and hotel, beach front villas, a largeentertainment complex, convention centers, a safari parkand a hot springs spa area.

With our input, Vingroup is now focusing on developingideas for the entertainment complex which will include a‘World Showcase of Culture and Cuisine and a WaxworksAttraction of a size and standard similar to MadameTussauds, together with other attractions appropriate tothe location and the market.

Petersham Group completed a feasibility study for the

Waxworks Attraction and has made appropriaterecommendations regarding its design, development andoperation .

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Vinpearl Resort & Waxworks Attraction, Phu Quoc (Vietnam)

Following the success of the World of Discoveries in Porto,Douroazul have again appointed Petersham Group andHaley Sharpe Design to take on a much larger project,‘Discovery Island’, to be located on an island in the RiverTagus just north of the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.

The team has recently developed a master plan, andcarried out market analysis and an initial feasibility studyto create a brand new destination on an island 8 kms by 3kms. in size. The project will connect the island to themainland by bridge, as well as creating a fast ferry servicelinking it to the heart of the Lisbon water front. The mainproject anchor will be the ‘Discovery island’ theme park,planned to be some 65,000 m2 in size and together with awaterpark with indoor and outdoor areas and theme parkhotel, will be planned to welcome up to 2 million visitor perannum. Car parking for up to 5,000 vehicles, plus buses willbe built.

In addition, a retail outlet village, waterside restaurants,outdoor experience sports area, festival events area andcamping and caravan site are planned.

Also on the island, a championship standard Golf Course,and 5* Spa Hotel and Country Club are planned, togetherwith some 20 ‘Quinta’ style residences, each with its ownprivate boat access and mooring facilities, private roadaccess and a direct route into the country club. The island ishome to many species of wading birds, including Flamingos,and a Wetlands Interpretation Centre, together withboardwalks to observe the birds in their natural habitatswill be built together with a programme of habitat

improvements, as an integral part of the development,creating a new nature reserve and an importanteducational facility.

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Discovery Island Theme Park, Lisbon (Portugal)

Situated in the Blackwater Estuary in south–east Essex

Osea Island is accessible by land via a mile long winding

causeway, but only at low tide and thus for only 4 hours

in every 12. But the ‘isolation’ of this private island is one

of its finest features and greatest strengths. It is this

situation combined with the very close proximity to

Greater London with its resident population of 8.6million

(Trafalgar Square is only 47.9 miles from Osea) that

makes Osea Island the haven that it is; the perfect

location and setting for events, whether corporate or

private, weddings, holiday lettings and festivals -- a

venue for all reasons and seasons -- and total justification

for the island’s commercial strapline: ‘Splendid Isolation’.

The island’s owner, wishing to refinance the island,

commissioned Petersham Group to undertake a review of

the current business profile of the island and look at the

ways in which the business is responding and should

respond to its continuing evolution, as both a unique

events and weddings venue and a holiday destination. This

led to the preparation of a comprehensive feasibility and

validation presentation report focusing on the island’s

business prospects and potential in the coming years.

In the meantime the island continues to prosper as a venuehosting a very wide range of events, both corporate andprivate, festivals and a growing number of weddings. Theisland also serves as a popular film location and has state ofthe art music recording studios which have already

attracted artists such as Noah and The Whale, TinieTempah, Jessie J, Sugarbabes, Labrinth and McFly.

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Osea Island (UK)

Petersham Group is often retained by specialist planningconsultants, or by developers and/or operators direct, toprepare an independent business case to supportcontentious or difficult planning applications. Theprovision of such independent but informed evidencewithin a planning application can significantly strengthenan application’s prospects of success.

In this case the 80-room Manor of Groves Hotel, Golf &Country Club wanted to add an additional 63-bedrooms tosupport it its extensive banqueting, wedding, function andleisure business, but being situated in the green belt hadbeen unsuccessful in a initial attempt and planningpermission had been refused.

A revised application was proposed adopting a smallerextension, of 42-bedrooms, and Petersham Group wasretained to prepare a Business Case demonstrating theeconomic and business need to add the extra bedrooms.

The business case was duly compiled and the applicationre-submitted and was successful, due in no small part tothe Business Case made for the extension.

This is not untypical of assistance that Petersham Group isasked to provide to assist businesses in the submission ofplanning applications in difficult situations.

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Manor of Groves Hotel & Country Club (UK)

Merlin Entertainments, currently the world’s second largestleisure company (behind only Disney), engaged PetershamGroup initially to use their knowledge of the Portugueseleisure market and of Merlin’s Sea Life Centre aquarium brandand to work with them to identify the right location and sitefor their first Sea Life project in Portugal.

Petersham CEO, Keith Thomas, was previously theirDevelopment Director, in charge of locating, supervisingbuilding and opening all new Sea Life Centre Aquarium andother attraction projects for the company and continues tokeep a close working relationship with Merlin management..

Petersham, together with local associates, Eurofun Lda,identified the city of Porto as having the right combination ofmarket size and conditions, a supportive politicaladministration and importantly, eligibility for grant fundingunder the QREN programme (a combination of EU Structuralfunding and funding from the Portuguese government). ThePetersham and Eurofun team helped Merlin to secure a leasewhich was mutually beneficial to the city and to Merlin, to gainthe necessary planning consents and building permits, toobtain over 30% in grant funding and to see the projectsuccessfully built and launched to great acclaim, opening inJune 2009.

Despite the difficult general economy in Portugal, the leisureand tourism sector remains relatively buoyant and theattraction continues to trade well and to meet Merlin’sexpectations.

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Porto Sea Life Centre, Porto (Portugal)

The City of Vantaa is developing a new urban residentialand business area in Kivistö, Vantaa, on the outskirts ofHelsinki, Finland. The new city area will be called Marja-Vantaa and will be the most significant newdevelopment of its kind within the capital region. As themission statement proclaims Marja-Vantaa will be: “Afantastic urban creation of sustainable developmentwhere diversified city living can be shaped by itsinhabitants”

The new city area will house 30,000 people andaccommodate businesses that will provide in the region of25,000 new jobs.

Petersham Group was engaged by NCC PropertyDevelopment OY, part of a major Scandinavianconstruction and development group, to carry out aconsultancy project to advise them on the incorporationof leisure components, into the NCC Marja-Vantaa sitedevelopment master plan including a number ofdestination visitor attractions, .

We researched the leisure and tourism market for Marja-Vantaa and then proposed a range of suitable leisure ideasand visitor attraction concepts to the NCC project team ata workshop. Based on this, the leisure components wereover-laid into the emerging master plan.

This was followed up by a comprehensive reportexplaining the detailed thinking behind the leisure andattraction elements proposed for the master plan.

This master plan was submitted in September 2012 to the

Marja-Vantaa development project team as part of NCC’sresponse to the Marja-Vantaa development competition.

We were retained by NCC, not only because of our proventrack record in the international leisure industry, butbecause of our ability to identify and introduce operatorsto bring their concepts, brands & offers to thedevelopment.

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Marja-Vantaa Master Plan (Finland)

Having secured a lease option on a 4+acre site on the Stripin Las Vegas the developers of a new London-themed thrillpark commissioned Petersham Group in 2013 toundertake a revision of their Business Plan and underlyingfinancial model.

This was achieved with a site visit and intensive assessmentwork, both in Las Vegas and the UK, enabling us to make adetailed appraisal of all aspects of the proposeddevelopment.

This also provided an opportunity to gain a detailedoverview of the Las Vegas tourist market and the changingprofile of the City’s visitors and their behavioural patternsand expectations.

The project’s concept and timing could not be better, as LasVegas is seeing a continuing migration away from thegaming core that, for so long, has been the City’s economicbedrock. With the gradually reducing age profile of theCity’s 40m annual visitors, their growing appetite for noncasino-based entertainment and the site’s central locationthe validation report produced by Petersham Group wasable to endorse the project proposal and offer a range ofguidance not only strengthening the projected revenuestreams but also on enhancing the operational proposals toprovide a better than anticipated return to prospectiveinvestors.

Subject to gaining the necessary permits, the project isscheduled to open in early 2018.

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London Thrill Park, Las Vegas (USA)

As possibly the most iconic building in Britain, the call fromBlack Rod and the Serjeant at Arms to determine how theHouses of Parliament could be opened up to the generalpublic was a challenge that was too good to resist!

Not only was it necessary to establish how the public couldbe appropriately guided through the Palace ofWestminster, as the Parliament buildings are morecorrectly known, but how such a system could beaccommodated by the two Houses. How were we tobalance the influx of thousands of tourists within a verybusy and security focused complex, whist also ensuring thatthe wishes of all Members were respected and the rights ofaccess and movement of all Members and Officers werepreserved?

Even more difficult was just how to ‘sell’ the proposedplans to the relevant administrative committees of the two

Houses, whose approval was a pre-requisite. Neverthelessit was achieved, slowly but surely, and after two successfulyears of piloting a tours programme, it is now anestablished part of the Parliamentary programme with over1 million visitors a year. We also advised on theestablishment of a Central Ticket Office to control the issueof tickets and on the allocation of guides for all tours withinthe Palace of Westminster.

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Houses of Parliament, London (UK)

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S o m e o f o u r c l i e nt s

Postal address & registered office:

Petersham Group Limited

333 Petersham Road

Richmond

Surrey TW10 7DB

United Kingdom

E-mail:

[email protected]

Telephone:

Office - +44 (0)1822 810460

Mobile - +44 (0)7739 386397

Website:

www.petershamgroup.com

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Co nt a c t u s

petersham group credentials september 2016

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