Kelvin Ladbrook

Heritage House, the UK's leading provider of guidebooks to the UK heritage and visitor attraction market, in its current structure was formed in September 2007. It is a combination of three established operations acquired in 2007 to form a single company. The three operations acquired were:- Heritage House Group - formerly English Life Publications (1949) it had long been the leading UK supplier of bespoke souvenirs for the visitor attraction market. Its customers include Merlin Entertainments (London Dungeons, Madame Tussauds etc), Guides Trading, Center Parcs, RSPB and most of the leading attractions. One of the company's major contracts was for the provision of souvenir items to the Millennium Dome in 2000. The souvenir business was subsequently sold to the Carole Group in 2010. Heritage House also published more than 100 visitor guide books for stately homes, cathedrals and other attractions and clients include Balmoral, Chatsworth, Hever Castle, Leeds Castle, Glamis, Castle of Mey with all of whom they have had a very long standing relationship. Jarrold Publishing - supplementing the publishing portfolio of Heritage House, the Jarrold Publishing business (1910) was acquired and clients include St Paul's Cathedral, Blenheim Palace, Sandringham, Durham Cathedral, York Minster and Westminster Cathedral. Hudson's Historic Houses & Gardens was acquired to complete the strength of the combined company within the Heritage market. This title is the market leading directory within this sector. Following the establishment of the new company the publishing contract with VisitBritain for the production of the accommodation guides was won in 2008 and extended the company's interest into the tourist accommodation and related markets. Recently, Heritage House launched OpenBritain with three major disabled related charities (Tourism for All, RADAR and Shopmobility) and in association with VisitBritain and the AA. This is a definitive access guide (and website www.openbritain.net) to quality assessed disabled accommodation and visitor attractions in the UK. Additionally in association with the Mayor of London's office, Visit London and the London Development Agency a further title OpenLondon will be published later this year and this is currently under discussion with LOCOG as the potential official accommodation guide for the 2012 Paralympics.