Nineteen New City of Norwich Tourist Guides Take Their Bow

New City of Norwich Tourist Guides at City Hall, 16 September 2014

Nineteen new City of Norwich Tourist Guides received their official badges from the Lord Mayor, Councillor Judith Lubbock, at a ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday 16 September. The guides have been trained to know everything about Norwich’s unique characters from the fictional Alan Partridge to the mercantile Robert Toppes and the medieval Lady Julian.

Their journey to qualification was an interesting and challenging one. Prospective guides had to learn the city’s history from 1066 to the present day, incorporating intricate detail about Norwich’s churches and cathedrals, its museums, its architecture and its people to name but a few aspects of the course. Practical and written exams then had to be undertaken and passed to make it to the final honour of attaining their qualifying badges.

Leader of Norwich City Council and cabinet member for culture, Councillor Brenda Arthur, said: “Our tourist guides play an extremely important role in promoting our wonderful city and it’s great to welcome new faces to this fantastic group of people. I’m sure the new guides will play their part in warmly welcoming visitors and residents alike and providing them with lively and interesting tours and talks.”

Melanie Cook, senior PR and online marketing executive of VisitNorwich, said: “It's great news that Norwich has another enthusiastic group of guides to take visitors and residents around the city. We already work closely with the existing tourist guides who have a profound knowledge of local history. Last year they excelled themselves when a brand new tour was created - Alpha Norwich, a homage to Alan Partridge. It went down so well more tours were run this year."

“As a guide you will never be able to predict what is asked of you, a great guide needs to be able to think on their feet and expertly handle all sorts of questions, something I am sure our new guides will be able to do very well.”  

Tourist Guides can be booked for various walks and tours of Norwich via the Tourist Information Centre based at The Forum, see www.norwich.gov.uk/touristinformationcentre or call 01603 213999. Information on booking guides can also be found at www.visitnorwich.co.uk and on its free Discover Norwich app available on iOs and android, which can be downloaded from the website.