Jane Ruffer
The Auckland Project’s ‘Bishop’s alive’ visitor campaign has defied challenging conditions across the UK tourism industry to record a 26% rise in summer ticket sales.
The regeneration charity reported strong year-on-year growth during July and August 2026, despite a difficult summer for many of the country’s museums, historic houses and paid visitor attractions.
Figures show The Auckland Project achieved a 27% increase in revenue in July compared with the same month in 2025, followed by a 25% year-on-year rise in August.
Across the two peak summer months, The Auckland Project recorded combined revenue growth of almost 26%, highlighting the growing popularity of Auckland Palace and gardens, the Spanish Gallery, Mining Art Gallery and Faith Museum.
The performance comes against a challenging backdrop for the UK visitor economy, with attractions facing rising pressure as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite chunks out of disposable incomes.
Against this backdrop, The Auckland Project’s summer ticket sales provide an encouraging sign of Bishop Auckland’s growing appeal as a cultural destination.
Jane Ruffer, CEO and co-founder of The Auckland Project, said: “These results are hugely encouraging and reflect the progress being made in establishing Bishop Auckland as a cultural destination.
“To see such strong growth at a time when many attractions are facing challenges is a real testament to Bishop Auckland’s potential. Every person who chooses to visit is helping to support the town’s wider regeneration, and we’re excited about what the future holds.
“What gives me the greatest confidence is the reaction we get from visitors. Time and again, we hear: ‘Wow, it’s much better than I expected.’ That’s a tremendous credit to our staff, volunteers and the quality of our attractions and the warm welcome people receive. We have something truly special here, and we’re determined to help more people discover it.”
The results come as The Auckland Project continues to invest in raising Bishop Auckland’s profile through its major multimedia ‘Bishop’s alive’ campaign, designed to dramatically build awareness and encourage more people to enjoy a “bonkers day out” in the historic market town.
The campaign showcases Bishop Auckland’s heritage, history and culture, generating awareness and establishing heightened levels of visitor affinity. YouGov campaign effectiveness research involving over 1000 people in the Tyne Tees region suggests positive associations of Bishop Auckland rose by between 20% and 30% between the months of May and September.
Stephen Reed, Director of Marketing and Communications at The Auckland Project, said: “The history, art, nature, and good food that we have here in Bishop is slightly bonkers. We’ve captured that and delivered an ambitious national and regional campaign which breaks the mould and these results show that’s resonated with the visiting public.
“Bishop’s alive with so many things to do, experience and enjoy and we’re bringing that to life as we build on this success into next year.”
Founded in 2012, The Auckland Project is a regeneration charity working to transform Bishop Auckland into a vibrant cultural destination through art, heritage, education and community engagement.
Visitors can explore Auckland Palace, once home to the powerful Prince Bishops of County Durham, along with its 10 acres of meticulously restored gardens, the 150-acre Deer Park, Spanish Gallery, Mining Art Gallery, and Faith Museum, which was named Grand Winner in the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust’s 2024 Building Beauty Awards.
Alongside its attractions, the charity delivers community programmes and partners with local schools and colleges to boost the local economy, create opportunities, and inspire pride in the region’s rich history.
For more information or to book tickets, visit www.aucklandproject.org.
