Seeding Success: Students Make Business Development Suggestions to The Alnwick Garden

Thirty students presented their business reports, following four weeks of research into the attraction, to David Ronn, Managing Director of The Alnwick Garden, and Jane Turner, Associate Dean Corporate and Executive Development Centre and responsible for the BA (Hons) Corporate Management programme at Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University. In their reports, the students analysed the achievements of The Alnwick Garden and suggested ways to build on successes in the future.

Recommendations were wide ranging and included: enhancing the educational role that The Alnwick Garden plays by promoting the learning pack available on its Facebook page and making this available to over 650 primary schools located within the surrounding area; attracting new visitors by hosting an on-site Farmers Market or creating a tropical greenhouse; and building The Alnwick Garden business by creating links with neighbouring companies to offer weekend packages such as hotel and garden breaks. Students also encouraged The Alnwick Garden to actively promote the huge range of activities that it currently delivers, such as photography exhibitions and cooking demonstrations, which creates real benefit for people living in the North East.

Jane Turner, Associate Dean Corporate and Executive Development Centre at Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, commented: “We’re so pleased to be working with such an iconic local attraction and it’s been an excellent opportunity for our Corporate Management students to work on a real business project.  With youth unemployment at an all time high and the employability of young people regularly questioned, the course offers a great balance of theory and practice which helps our graduates to stand out from the crowd. Working with forward thinking organisations, such as The Alnwick Garden, not only benefits our students, but the business itself and local area as a whole.”

The research task was set in conjunction with the business school’s Corporate Management programme, whereby students spend their first year studying business and management theory at the University and the remaining two years in full time paid employment whilst also attending intensive University study blocks. This work based learning approach enables students to apply theory into practice as well as gaining crucial skills and experience for the working world. By teaming up with The Alnwick Garden, the first year students have the opportunity to work in teams of five on a ‘live’ project, whilst the attraction benefits from the creativity and innovativeness of the some of the North East’s brightest talent.

David Ronn, Managing Director of The Alnwick Garden and Castle said: “For nearly a decade The Alnwick Garden has delivered a range of activities that promote access without discrimination. We are delighted to be working with Newcastle Business School and its Corporate Management students to bring a fresh perspective to what we’re doing well now and what we can do more of or better in the future. We're passionate about what The Garden has to offer and are determined that it should continue to be a huge asset for people living in the North East.

“We look forward to reviewing the excellent student business plan suggestions and will be looking to implement some ideas in the New Year. We hope the students will visit again soon to see the progress we’ve made."