St. Modwen, the UK's leading regeneration specialist, has announced record visitor figures at The Trentham Estate and Gardens. Defying current economic trends, St. Modwen has reported that more than three times the number of Annual Tickets have been sold in February, March and April, compared to the same period last year. Even more impressive are visitor figures for the Gardens and Lake in March and April, with over 27,000 visitors recorded - more than double the figures achieved in March and April 2008. 

Mike Herbert, St Modwen's regional director, who runs Trentham commented, "This is a fantastic start to the season. The National Trust announced this week that it has also had a very good March and April with a 38 per cent increase in overall visitors. But even its top garden, Stowe Landscape Gardens in Buckinghamshire - often stated to be Europe's most influential landscape garden - only attracted 20,242 visitors (a 60 per cent increase), less than three quarters of the total number who visited Trentham." 

"We were blessed with good weather over Easter, but we are pleased that the enhancements to the Garden over the winter period have evidently increased its attraction. Visitors can now also enjoy the mile long lake walk as part of the Italian Garden experience; and we have introduced significant reductions in Annual Ticket prices, together with payment by Tesco Club Card vouchers for all Garden tickets. Annual Ticket holders also have additional benefits, such as a 10 per cent discount in participating shops on site." 

Trentham is at the heart of North Staffordshire's leisure and tourism offering and is an established visitor attraction. Five years into a flagship £100 million regeneration project, St. Modwen has undertaken England's largest garden restoration project at Trentham, and as such the Italian Gardens have undergone a massive transformation. 

Mike added, "Trentham never stands still. We are constantly looking at ways to improve the visitor experience, with the next major milestone set to be the launch of the beautiful new Italian Garden Tearoom in the Gardens at Trentham. The front of the new building is a full height semi-circle of glass giving panoramic views over the Garden and Lake, and we are sure this stunning Tearoom will become one of those "must go" places in the region when it opens just before May half term." 

The Trentham results appear to form part of a wider regional trend. St. Modwen recently announced ten deals across four of its commercial development schemes in North Staffordshire with a strong take-up of commercial space since the beginning of the year. This, coupled with the record visitor levels at Trentham, provide an indication that a sense of confidence is returning to the marketplace.