09.05.2013

Royal Greenwich to host London’s most spectacular Tall Ships Regatta for 25 years

Royal Borough of Greenwich Media Release

The Royal Borough of Greenwich will host London’s largest Tall Ship event in 25 years thanks to an agreement between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Sail Training International.  The event, involving up to 50 of the most spectacular Tall Ships in the world, will take place in September 2014. It will be the first major Tall Ships event since London hosted the Tall Ships Race in 1989.

On Tuesday 7 May, the contract to bring the Regatta back to the capital was signed on board the Lady of Avenel, a vessel with strong connections to Royal Greenwich. The former training ship was originally fitted out by Wilfred Dowman - owner of the celebrated Cutty Sark.

On the same day the Royal Borough of Greenwich launched the Royal Greenwich Festivals 2013 which will feature a new river strand that will welcome the return of Sail Royal Greenwich. Running until September 1, Sail Royal Greenwich will feature a stunning fleet of tall ships which will sail the Thames and offer visitors unforgettable views of iconic maritime Greenwich.

The Royal Greenwich Festivals have become a mainstay of the capital’s cultural scene attracting audiences from far and wide to enjoy the entertainment on offer in one of the UK’s top tourist destinations.

Local arts organisations such as Greenwich+Docklands International Festival and Greenwich Dance will showcase an eclectic mix of music, dance and performance throughout the day giving people a taste of the cultural vibrancy of Royal Greenwich.

The Royal Greenwich Festivals have firmly established Royal Greenwich as the place to experience world-class entertainment as it showcases the very best in dance, music, art and theatre. Royal Greenwich is recognised as a great place of culture, its rich mix of arts and entertainment helping to attract millions of visitors from all over the UK and worldwide every year.

Cllr Roberts, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich said: “Royal Greenwich is widely recognised as a premier destination for culture; its rich mix of arts and entertainment helping to attract more than 15 million of visitors from all over the UK and worldwide every year. We are absolutely committed  to the arts – not only for the enjoyment they bring but also for the huge contribution they make to our local economy – more than 12,000 jobs depend on tourism and culture.

Royal Greenwich boasts the longest river front in London making it the best place to host the Tall Ships Regatta. This will be a fantastic opportunity to boost the economic potential of the borough even further while providing a stunning visual display and opportunities for local young people to experience sailing on the high seas .”

The Royal Borough already supports a series of festivals, and many of the country’s best loved and most experienced cultural groups are based in the borough from the internationally renowned Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance to Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, whose Director Bradley Hemmings was joint Artistic Director for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic games.

Running throughout the year the Royal Greenwich Festivals provide some of the best and most varied entertainment in the heart of a World Heritage Site, on the banks of the River Thames.

Over 200,000 people attended last year’s events which included imaginative street performance, music to suit all tastes and invigorating dance performances.

Additional events taking place this summer include:

Greenwich Dances

Dates: 17 May to 27 June 2013

A festival of dance and movement in places and spaces across Royal Greenwich. Discover inspiring performances and join in fun workshops, as Greenwich Dance brings some of the UK’s leading dance artists to your doorstep – in streets, parks, libraries, museums and more.
Cost: A range of free and ticketed events

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF)

Dates: 21 June to 29 June 2013

London's leading annual festival of free outdoor performing arts (theatre, dance, and street arts). A celebration of extraordinary outdoor events that transform people's lives.
Cost: A range of free events

Parksfest

Dates: 1 June to 28 July 2013

A programme of free summer events across local parks in Royal Greenwich. Residents and visitors can enjoy live music concerts to electrifying dance performances.
Cost: A range of free events

Greenwich World Cultural Festival

Date: July 2013

Greenwich Dance and Greenwich Theatre bring together professional artists and local community performers to transform the wide open spaces, secret hideaways and historic gardens of Eltham Palace. The whole family can enjoy this celebration of dance, theatre, circus and music from around the world.
Cost: To be confirmed

Greenwich Music Festival

Dates: April 2013 to March 2014

A series of public performances, including staged work, dance, chamber music concerts, film, lectures and educational outreach programs.
Cost: A range of free and ticketed events

Sail Royal Greenwich

Dates: August 28 to September 1 2014

A stunning fleet of Tall Ships will sail the Thames and offer visitors unforgettable views of iconic maritime Greenwich.
Cost: A range of ticketed and discounted events

Notes to Editors:

Sail Royal Greenwich

VIP packages are available, with exclusive Tall Ships available for 12-135 guests (from £219 pp). There are also opportunities for full and varied multi-day corporate programmes. More information is available and you can book cruises at www.sailroyalgreenwich.co.uk

About Sail Training International

STI is the international voice of Sail Training, a registered charity (not-for-profit organisation), which has worldwide membership and activities. Its purpose is the development and education of young people through the Sail Training experience, regardless of nationality, culture, religion, gender or social background. It organises the annual Tall Ship Races and other international Tall Ship sailing events.  STI members are 29 national Sail Training organisations around the world and STI’s head office is in Gosport, Hampshire, UK.

About the Royal Borough of Greenwich

Royal Borough Royal Greenwich has a strong reputation for its cultural events and festivals. The events of 2012 provided a unique opportunity to raise the profile of the borough’s cultural assets and underpin the local economy.  Post Games, the Royal Borough is seeking to build on and maximise the growth potential of this burgeoning economic sector and to attract organisations to locate in Royal Greenwich. This will seek to strengthen the arts and cultural sector within the Royal Borough to directly serve the Royal Borough’s residents, workers and visitors. It will also help to promote the Royal Borough as a major cultural destination with a diverse arts and cultural offer, strengthen our venues, highlight our iconic world heritage sites and profile our open spaces.gh of Greenwich.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich – on the banks of the River Thames in South East London - is a stunning location steeped in history, magnificent attractions, open spaces, and it offers an unrivalled cultural experience. During the summer people across the world got a small taste of all that’s on offer to visitors when Royal Greenwich hosted 34 Olympic and Paralympic events, producing some of the most iconic and enduring images of London 2012. 

Tourism in Royal Greenwich already generates £774 million every year for the local economy, supporting nearly 12,000 local jobs. It’s a sector seeing rapid growth, in line with the Royal Borough’s ambitious programme of regeneration, all spurred on by being one of the six Olympic Host Boroughs for London 2012. New hotels are opening across the Royal Borough with hotel bed space increasing fourfold over the next year.

The last year have seen some of the most significant moments in the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s history. Achieving Royal Status in recognition of its long-standing ties with the British Monarchy in February, the summer saw the eyes of the world focus on Royal Greenwich as it hosted the magnificent Equestrian, Shooting, Archery, Gymnastics, Basketball, Modern Pentathlon and Wheelchair Basketball events during London 2012. Unprecedented visitor numbers enjoyed a summer of sport and other events and festivals in the Royal Borough.

The Royal Greenwich Festivals are a programme of cultural activities and events delivered in venues, parks and open spaces across the Royal Borough.

For more information contact the Arts and Culture team on 020 8921 6109 or email.

Enderby Wharf and International Cruise Terminal

The high quality mixed use Enderby Wharf development comprises a 251 room hotel, 770 new homes, leisure and office accommodation together with the refurbishment of a listed building known as Enderby House, a skills and training academy plus an international cruise terminal set within extensive areas of new public realm linked to the Thames Path with a 160 metre frontage onto the River Thames.

Enderby Wharf is located equidistant between The 02 Arena, the world’s most successful entertainment venue, and the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

Enderby Wharf has been designed to accommodate the largest cruise ships – 240 metres long - which can sail through the Thames Barrier. The onshore terminal has been designed to easily accommodate 3,000 passengers embarking or disembarking at any one time with their accompanying luggage.

It is anticipated that nearly 100 cruise ships per annum will moor in Royal Greenwich within the heart of the capital when the terminal is fully operational. Cruise ships will be able to take on water at Enderby Wharf and re-supply with most provisions including fresh produce.