We’ve previously heard of the ‘Broadchurch effect’, and now here comes the ‘Poldark effect’. The ‘Broadchurch effect’ is claimed to have considerably upped bookings at holiday parks in Dorset. Specifically, increased bookings at West Bay Holiday Park were attributed to ITV’s Monday night hour of murderous tension.
Now the romance of the BBC’s new series ‘Poldark’ is drawing more visitors to Cornwall according to Parkdean Holidays. The recent uplift in bookings has likes the Broadchurch effect been claimed by Parkdean holidays as directly contributing to a 15% increase in bookings in the last week at their Sea Acres, Mullion and Looe Bay Holiday Parks.
It was Parkdean who reported both effects, so we’re wondering if other caravan park operators in the area have noticed the same trend. Obviously you can’t rely on one source, but visitcornwall.com have also reported a ‘65% increase in traffic since the first episode of Poldark aired.’ (More). That is a huge increase, and if it really is due to the popularity of an ITV ‘bodice ripper’ the heads of other counties and tourist boards across the country must surely be thinking ‘how can we do the same?’.
So, we thought we’d come up with a couple of ideas for tourist attracting TV serials:
Windswept in Windemere follows the licentious activities of the boating community. Born to farming stock, young Miss Avery dreams of swapping her wellies for deck shoes and running a successful yachting firm, much to the consternation of red-nosed father Tosh Avery, a man who never minces his words and knows where a woman’s place is (and it’s not on the lake!). Her rosy cheeks and sublime figure sculpted from years of horse-riding and mucking out pigs draws the attention of handsome local deck hand Gruff Mc Block. They transcend the barriers between the farming and boating community with a series of steamy trysts whilst they hatch their plans to do away with both the mean minded father, and Mc Gruff’s evil boat empire owning Uncle Hedris, the scourge of the district.
The Butcher of Lancashire is a heady mix of lust and meat production. Whoever supplies the lamb for the county’s hotpots holds the reigns of power in this bloody tale of murder, deception, espionage, and sovereignty. This is not a ‘whodunnit?’, but a ‘how long will they get away with it?’. The feature length script will contain unfeasible martial arts scenes, as well as numerous couplings set against the backdrops of the Blackpool Tower, Morecambe bay, and Lytham St Anne’s pier.
What do you think? And, do you have any potential script synopses for films or series that would draw the tourists in by their thousands? If you do, please leave a comment below.
By: Gareth Whieldon
