THE Royal Gunpowder Mills has started its scheduled winter shutdown after a problematic first year with delays, traffic problems and a shortage of visitors.

In the five months since it opened, in May, 20,000 visitors have passed through the doors. Bosses had anticipated some 60,000 people to have visited the attraction by March next year.

Director Robert Taylor said: "We didn't start on time because of foot and mouth. We lost about 16,000 visitors in those three months. We lost a third of our season.

"We also had problems when we did open. We were unfortunate that we were trying to launch at a time when foot and mouth was still going on. We did not have much notice of our opening date and were not able to do as big a launch as we wanted so it was quiet for quite a while after that because people still seemed to think we were closed.

"Now more and more people are hearing about it just as we close for winter."

To make things even worse for the site, which was advertised as easily accessible, it became a victim of the major roadworks on the M25.

Mr Taylor said: "I did have people complaining to me that they had been stuck in traffic there. I think that must have put some people off."

And the tourist attraction has suffered along with the rest of the industry in the aftermath of the September 11 atrocities in New York and Washington DC.

Mr Taylor put the latest dip in visitor figures down to the fact that people simply did not want to go out at the moment.

But he is optimistic for the site's future.

"We should be over the worst. Like many in the tourism industry we hope to get some compensation from the Government. It's now quite easy to get here and the people who have come here have had a good day and should recommend us.

"We already have some events planned and we are going into next year with confidence."

November 5, 2001 15:02