Susan ran training in ‘Writing for visitors to Tower Bridge’ for staff at this iconic and popular London landmark. The training focused on writing for international, experience-focussed tourists. This calls for very sharp writing.
Look, look the bridge is raising! This a very exciting working building – possibly the most amazing place we have trained in (but there is competition for that accolade).
The (relatively) new high-level glass walkways have added to the ‘must-do’ status of Tower Bridge and established its place in the Top Ten London Attractions. It attracts ‘experience seekers’, not just ‘heritage buffs’.
They love it but wild horses, or even the obliging young man who offered me his hand, could not drag me onto the glass walkway. I decided if I don’t believe in glass ceilings , I clearly cannot trust glass floors either.
The challenge for the interpretation is to convey the excitement of the bridge’s heritage alongside the vertiginous experience. A new Interpretation Plan is in place and new exhibitions are about to be planned.
Writing at Tower Bridge has to attract the attention for international tourists who are there for the thrill, or to ‘tick off’ the attraction, to spend time with family or friends. In a day of participatory writing exercises and discussions, Susan gave the Tower Bridge team tools and tips for writing for these types of visitors.
This was a particularly appropriate place for our new training in Using Global (or International) English for for international audiences.