Residents First weekend 'a real success' (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

St Albans Residents First weekend 'a real success'

1:30pm Tuesday 29th January 2013 in News By Rebecca Perring, Reporter

Residents had the chance to take advantage of what St Albans has to offer at the Residents First weekend.

Visitors sampled highlights of the city and tried something new on Saturday and Sunday as local attractions, restaurants, businesses and hotels, opened their doors to the public to offer exclusive offers and events for free.

On Friday, January 25 visitors had the rare opportunity to take over the Museum of St Albans armed with their own pack of post it notes to highlight what they like and dislike about the museum.

Nicole Deufel, audience development manager for the museum, said: "Visitors really took the opportunity to tell us what they like about the objects on display, what they don’t like, and what the objects made them think of. They also commented on each other’s comments, which was great and good fun.

"The event has proven a real success for us, and we are likely to repeat it again in the future."

The city’s cathedral also encouraged residents to take part in an Ecclesiastical Catwalk featuring the Cathedral's vestments on Saturday, January 26.

Other attractions and events, include the Musuem of St Albans, Verulamium Musuem, Redbourn Village Museum, Redbournbury Mill, St Albans and Herts Architectural and Archaeological Society, St Albans Arts Development Team workshops, St Albans and District Talking Newspapers, St Albans Market, St Albans Organ Theatre and St Albans South Signal Box.

Councillor Beric Read, portfolio holder for community engagement and localism at the council, said: "Residents First Weekend gives people the opportunity to visit new attractions and try out activities and restaurants for the first time.

"We are still collating figures from the weekend’s events. Initial feedback is positive and some venues, such as Radio Verulam, received more visitors than last year."