River Tweed Trail workshop highlights new opportunities for Northumberland
Business owners and community members from across Northumberland, including Berwick and Coldstream, came together last week to attend a special Destination Tweed workshop.
They discussed some of the opportunities that the forthcoming River Tweed Trail will bring to the area.
The 113-mile route is due for completion in 2028 and will run from Moffat near the source of the Tweed, through the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland and on to Berwick-upon-Tweed – where the river meets the sea.
The trail is set to support around 400 jobs in cafes, visitor attractions, accommodation providers, craft producers, activity providers and more, as it is expected that communities will benefit from visitors staying longer and spending and engaging more at a local level.
Event attendees discussed a variety of business ideas such as the provision of active experiences, short-stay accommodation, drying rooms and local food options.
The event was organised by Destination Tweed tourism and business engagement officer Neen Kelly, who works within the South of Scotland Destination Alliance.
She said: “It was great to be in a room full of ideas as momentum builds for the arrival of the River Tweed Trail.
“The new route will be a huge asset for accommodation providers, food and drink outlets, attractions and a host of other businesses, and we were really pleased to see that many are already considering how they could create new revenue streams ahead of its completion in 2028.”
Presentations on business support were given by South of Scotland Enterprise and Business Northumberland, and examples of best practice from elsewhere were also discussed.
The River Tweed Trail is at the heart of the £25million Destination Tweed tourism and river restoration project that is balancing access with sustainability and care for the environment.
Tree planting, habitat improvement, pollinator initiatives and invasive species management are all part of the project.
As well as connecting walkers to communities, businesses and attractions along the route, the River Tweed Trail will also cater to cyclists on shared use sections – with separate bike spurs signed where necessary.
Any local businesses wishing to discuss potential business opportunities connected to the trail can get in touch by emailing [email protected]