VisitEngland Annual Survey reveals paid and free attractions faring well in Lincolnshire and Rutland

Top attractions in the county are bringing in thousands of visitors, according to a new report.

The latest VisitEngland Annual Survey revealed that attractions in Lincolnshire and Rutland are faring well when it comes to attracting tourists.

Across the top 20 most visited free attractions in East Midlands, there are six in Lincolnshire and Rutland. Bransby Horses in Lincoln is the sixth most visited free attraction in the East Midlands, attracting 49,500 visitors in 2023 compared to 2022.

Also featuring are the Museum of Lincolnshire Life in Lincoln, which is 10th and had 46,564 visitors; Oakham Castle in Rutland, which is 11th and had 33,077 visitors in 2023, St Mary Magdalene Church in Lincoln which is 15th and 21,814 visitors in 2023; Caistor Arts and Heritage Centre in Market Rasen, which has 18,848 visitors in 2023 and is in the 16th place and Rutland County Museum at 20th place with 11,319 visitors in 2023.

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Wollaton Hall and Park in Nottinghamshire is the most visited free attraction with 697,908 visitors.

Lincolnshire has eight of the top 20 paid visitor attractions in the East Midlands top 20 paid visitor attractions list.

Belton House, near Grantham, is third - behind only Chatsworth and Calke Abbey, both in Derbyshire - and brought in 358,078 visitors in 2023, slightly down from the 361,270 who visited in 2022.

Ian Cooper, general manager at Belton Estate, said: “We’re delighted to be named the most visited paid attraction in Lincolnshire, and the 3rd in the East Midlands. It really is a testament to the amazing team of staff and volunteers we have at Belton, who do such a fantastic job at welcoming visitors and providing a great experience all year round.

“As a charity, we rely on our dedicated supporters and visitors to help us continue our work in looking after this special place for future generations. So, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support.

“First-time visitors are often surprised by the scale of Belton – there is so much to see and do here. We’re looking forward to welcoming new and returning visitors over the years to come.”

Rand Farm Park in Market Rasen featured in 12th position, with 108,533 visitors in 2023, also slightly down on the previous year.

The International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln, which had a record-breaking year - was 13th with 104,105 visitors, up from 89,070 in 2022. Skegness Seal Sanctuary took 14th position, Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway was 17th, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in Friskney was 18th, Tattershall Castle in 19th and Gunby Hall near Spilsby in 20th.

Burghley House, near Stamford, also features in 12th position on the top 20 most visited paid attractions in the East of England. The report reveals Burghley welcomed 154,827 visitors in 2023, compared to 83,407 visitors in 2022.

The headline national statistics from the VisitEngland survey are:

Attractions in England reported an 11 per cent increase in the volume of total visits from 2022 (176.87m) to 2023 (196.14m)

However this figure is still 28 per cent below 2019 pre-covid levels (273.75m) and admissions to English attractions rose at a slower rate in 2023 compared to the previous 2 years which recovered rapidly following covid.

Museums/art galleries and places of worship received the highest increase in visits year on year (20 per cent) and (19 per cent) respectively.

In 2023, the sector grew due to an increase in overseas visits to attractions (+80 per cent on 2022) and an increase in school trips in 2023. Overall, sites reported a 2 per cent decline in domestic visits.

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