1

Sefton Park Palm House Visitor Survey 1. Basics

100 interviews

Over a 5½ months (167 days) period through the Autumn & Winter (between 23 Aug 2016 and 6 Feb 2017)

Team of 8 interviewers

Not all interviewees answered all questions and some questions were multiple choice. Percentages are percentages of total of responses (seldom exactly the 100)

Nearly 30% of interviews on Sundays

2. The Profile of The Visitors

All ages represented, with almost half (46%) 55 or over

30

14 15 15

59 10

2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Unknown

Day of Survey(Number of Rersponses)

54%27%

19%

WEATHER

Sunny Cloudy Mixed

10.42

14.5816.67

12.50

22.92 22.92

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Age

Age Group (%)

2

Just under ⅔ were female

Just over 90% were white

Over half of visitors were working

14% of visitors were disabled

Higher & Intermediate Managerial, Administrative and Professional Groups have much

stronger representation amongst the visitors than in the population as a whole

37.11

62.89

Gender (%)

Male Female

90.11

1.108.79 0.00

Ethnicity (%)

White

Mixed Multiple Ethnic

Asian/Asian British

Black/African/Black British/Caribbean

8%

57%1%

34%

Occupation (%)

Student Working NIPE Retired

12.90

87.10

Disability (%)

Yes No

56

20

6

1822

31

21

26

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

AB C1 C2 DE

Socio Economic Group (%)

Survey UK

3

⅓ of visitors were very local

3. Visit Characteristics

A quarter of visitors were on their first visits but a third visit more than three times a year

How Often in The Winter

How Often in The Summer

32

22

5

6

2

2

2

8

13

1

2

4

1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Neigbouring Postcodes

Other Liverpool

Wirral

Sefton

St Helens

Halton

Knowsley

Rest of North West

Rest of England

Wales

Scotland

Overseas

Unknown

Origin of Visitors (%)

21%

12%

12%19%

36%

Visit Frequency (%)

1st visit Less than once a year

Once a year 2-3 times a year

More often

26.83

39.02

19.51

9.76

4.88

0.00

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00

Seldom

Once a Month

Once a fortnight

1-2 times a week

Most days

Everyday

Winter Visits (%)

10.81

35.14

32.43

13.51

8.11

0.00

0.00 10.0020.0030.0040.00

Seldom

Once a Month

Once a fortnight

1-2 times a week

Most days

Everyday

Summer Visits (%)

4

Type of Visit

Personal Group

Most visits to the Palm House were unplanned and casual

4. New features that would encourage more time spent in the Palm House or more

visits

Whilst music events and a pop up restaurant were the New Features mentioned by most

visitors there was also interest in family events, temporary exhibitions, better botanical

interpretation, talk and presentations and health and well being events

53.06

29.59

17.35

Type of Visit (%)

Live/work/study in area

Day trip from Home

Staying visit

17.17

23.23

19.19

20.20

18.18

2.02

0.00 5.00 10.0015.0020.0025.00

On own

With partner/spouse

With children

With family

With friends

Organised trip

Personal Group (%)

37.74

15.09

0.94

32.08

0.00

7.55

6.60

0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00

Just passing

Attending a PH event

Attending a SP event

Showing friends/family

Attending a private PH function

Organised trip

Remembering the past

Main Purpose of Visit (%)

5.54

9.59

8.12

14.39

8.86

4.06

10.33

22.88

16.24

0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00

Extended Opening

Better Botanical Interpretation

Health and Wellbeing Events

Temporary Exhibitions

Talks and Presentations

Over 60s Events

Family Events

Music Events

Pop-up Restaurant

New Features (%)

5

If Over 60s Events, how much would visitors spend

If Family Events, how much would visitors spend

If Music Events, how much would visitors spend

44%

56%

0%

Over 60s Events (%)

up to £5

£5-£10

only if free

24%

71%

5%

Family Events (%)

up to £5

£5-£10

only if free

18%

50%

26%

5%1%

Music Events (%)

up to £5

£5-£10

£10 to £20

£20+

only if free

6

5. Usual Activities when Visiting the Palm House

Relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet is the principal activity of our visitors

6. Features / Activities that Visitors Associate with the Palm House

Most people associate the Palm House with its beautiful structure and botanic collection.

7. Satisfaction Levels

Overall satisfaction with the Palm House was high 4.67/5

22.18

24.06

2.26

22.93

5.26

12.78

0.75

0.38

7.52

1.88

0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00

Relax

Enjoy the peace and quiet

place to remember loved ones

enjoy the botanical collection

Meeting friends

to attend events/entertainment

Guided walk/talk

Organised trip

keep warm/dry

Other

Activities (%)

29.43

28.09

16.72

1.34

10.37

7.69

6.35

0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00

Beautiful structure

Botanical collection

Statues

Business event venue

Wedding/family occasion venue

Music event venue

Family/community event venue

Associations (%)

4.35

4.41

4.15

4.48

4.82

4.75

4.66

3.80 4.00 4.20 4.40 4.60 4.80 5.00

Warmth of Welcome

Botanic collection

Seating Provision

Outside Gardens plants/trees

Ease of getting around

Level of cleanliness/litter

Overall satisfaction

Satisfaction - Average Ratings(Scale 1 - 5)

7

8. Barriers to Visiting

Most visitors felt there were no barriers to visiting the Palm House

9. Further Engagement of Visitors

Approximately 1 in 10 visitors were interested in becoming a friend

Are there any other features which would encourage you to visit/spend more time in the Palm House?

Q6a Over 60s events

music

jazz, choir, food events

theatre /music

social

history of the area

Christmas market

tea dance

light exercise

ballroom dancing - more salsa

20.17

10.92

6.72

3.36

0.84

9.24

2.52

0.84

45.38

0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00 45.00 50.00

Lack of informtion/publicity

Limited interpreation about the PH

Quality of signage

Steps/stairs/gates

Paths and ground surfaces

Season/opening hours

Availability of nearby parking

Lighting

None

Barriers (%)

1.02 3.06

74.49

12.249.18

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

Already a Friend Already aVolunteer

Not interested Become a Friend Become aVolunteer

Engagement (%)

8

Q6b Family events

craft activities for children

crafts /music

art displays, history, photographic

talks and music - all sorts

children’s events

arts and crafts /seasonal events

play therapy

kids things

with food like today. Bookworm plays?

anything for young children

aimed at toddlers

poetry reading, book events or children’s shows

anything interactive for children

music

music and exhibitions, family theatre

educational and fun

seasonal

film

films, seasonal events, Saturday morning for children, storytelling, children's theatre

more children's theatre /storytelling

Q6c Music events

anything

acoustic rock

country music groups

small classical orchestra, acoustic band

50s and 60s and classical

musical theatre

classical and choral

light classical

jazz, 60s rock

ballroom and dance classes

classical

classic and modern harp, soloist musicians, invite students to perform

not pop

classical

classical

rave

band

any

classical

varied

varied

live jazz

don’t mind

local bands

mixed

classical

9

anything

popular music

brass bands, concerts

country

country

pop

jazz

jazz / blues / country

classical / jazz

music

sympathetic to the environment

rock

any

jazz / student musicians

electronic

eclectic

open mic nights

classical

any

all live music esp classical and local

variety

jazz, indie

classical concerts

classical, jazz

easy listening

classical

varied

varied

any / various

folk /jazz / classical / local

instrumental

mellow, instrumental, culturally diverse e.g sitar

classical / soul

Q6d - other features

more about history and botanics

more about where plants come from and history of PH

good variety of music events such as Cheethams school

nothing can think of

historical events

staying open longer

more botanical plants and descriptions would result in more time spent in PH

artisan events

happy as it is

refreshments available

refreshments

10

refreshments

tea room

craft fairs, art

tea room , talks/history etc

theatre/tea/coffee

fancy dress events, vintage tea party

extended hours

refreshments more jazz

refreshments

better botanical interpretation

arts and sculpture, events for gardeners and allotment holders, farmers markets

shame you can’t climb the old spiral staircase

visiting from Holland

refreshments

would like to be able to bring dog into grounds

play therapy for SEN children, cinema, plays outside, café in the week

cinema

family friendly coffee bar

café

wine tasting, more cinema

cinema nights great idea

more seating

better advertising of opening times

likes to visit and sometime draw. If there were too many events it would lose its magic. Discreet catering possibly outside

tea and coffee facilities

tea and coffee facilities

better signage for the plants

any special events/Christmas markets

coffee facility

temporary displays and guides to enlighten visitors on horticulture trees etc

refreshments

better signposting from iron bridge when opening

music festival

more diversity of plants and birds to go with plants and butterflies

café

art things

11

birds or butterflies in evidence

dance classes or tai chi

dance classes or tai chi

talks about the plants

talk on plants, more plant labels with details

stay the same

Are there any other comments you would like to make about the Palm House?

Q9 comments

Beautiful place makes me happy

nice place to go, quiet and calm

Surprised to find closed yesterday (wedding)

Beautiful - a very good day - signage especially around park and from parking areas needs improving

would be interested in volunteering if lived closer. Seating scored low as the PH was packed due to an event

small catering outlet

keep up the free events but support them with some paid events £5-10

better signage at gate. Could you put closed times & forthcoming events at Iron bridge entrance

don’t use digital media and would like to see earlier publicity re music event also pbs with way Tuesday bookings are allocated and tables reserved. Parking also can be difficult

Peter, the security man was friendly, helpful and informative

need for refreshments and toilets should be accessible

it feels nice

refreshments

advertise coming events in Echo

tea shop please

dogs not allowed, radio is a distraction on entry. More seating

info re history. Note. We are in Toxteth

display photos of past events (Edwardian ladies and tie it in with the tea party mentioned earlier. Themed film shows

hope it stays open for ever

must maintain local heritage

nice if parking were nearer

more predictable opening hours, info re website should be displayed more prominently, really glad it is here and open to the public. Always relaxing and lovely

need welcome sign at entrance to say it is open to the public

12

really nice

awesome

not dog friendly. Humans make more litter

really like it here. More obvious donation box, permanent exhibition on what is was like before restoration

doesn’t hear about events . Would be interested in cinema

only one entrance would like to see more. All positive

not online

events are great

staff are lovely, warm and welcoming

don’t want café. Educational area e.g carnivore plants

You never know if it's going to be open. Plants should be labelled with English names as well as Latin

should retain existing qualities and keep original Victorian charm. Stage is ugly

smell of toilets around staircase area. Local press what's on would be helpful

more history needed

are there activities for young school children to allow them to learn about plants and topographies?

more signage needed re plants and history

can the floor be restored to show marble floor

keep it going

more info on history of campaign, plants required

do not recommend permanent cafe, consider outside themed catering i.e squash nutrition, homebaked (community based/focussed)

no need to change. Keep it maintained

more information regarding structure and history

all very nice

it’s something to be proud of

toilets need to be open at all times

nice and open. Info needed about the history and restoration

This is the first visit. I love the structure - it's artistic unlike our palm houses in Poland

glass could do with a wash down

available toilets

very friendly and welcoming staff

ensure entrance is clearly marked. At the moment, the path leads to the back of the Palm House. More signs in the park itself