Skip the Queue

Andy Povey is joined by Lawrence Roots to explore the growing importance of the UK Theme Park Awards and why they matter to operators across the visitor attraction industry. Lawrence shares how the awards recognise excellence across parks of all sizes, combine expert judging with public voting, and help raise standards across the sector. They also talk about the emerging trends in the UK theme park industry, the value of consistency and creativity, and practical advice for operators looking to create award-winning guest experiences.

Topics Discussed

The origins and evolution of the UK Theme Park Awards

How public voting and expert judging combine to decide winners

Why awards matter for marketing, recognition and team motivation

The role of creativity, consistency and guest experience in judging

New award categories, including Rising Star and Outstanding Achievement

Trends shaping the UK theme park industry in 2026

Major upcoming projects and investments across UK parks

Why smaller operators can compete alongside major brands

The importance of understanding audience needs

Practical ways attractions can improve experiences without large budgets

Why investing in people is as important as investing in attraction

 

Show references: 

 

Lawrence Roots, Founder of UK Theme Park Awards

https://www.ukthemeparkawards.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/ukthemeparkawards/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-roots/

Nominations for the UK Theme Park Awards 2026 are now open. Register to make nominations and vote in the UK Theme Park Awards.

https://www.ukthemeparkawards.com/register

 

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Andy Povey.

If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.

If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.

Credits:

Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster)

Edited by Steve Folland

Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)

Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey

We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.

Download your FREE copy here

In this episode of Skip the Queue, Andy Povey is joined by Dominique Bouchard, Heritage and Engagement Director at Leeds Castle and incoming Creative Director at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming heritage storytelling. They discuss the creation of the world’s first interactive historical AI avatar, how Leeds Castle brought Queen Eleanor of Castile to life, and what this innovation means for the future of visitor engagement across heritage attractions.

Topics Discussed:

How artificial intelligence is reshaping heritage storytelling

The creation of Leeds Castle’s interactive Queen Eleanor of Castile AI avatar

Balancing historical accuracy with AI driven visitor interaction

The design and development process behind the world first historical avatar

Using AI to create personalised visitor experiences

Audience reactions to experimental heritage technology

Ethical considerations of AI in museums and heritage sites

How AI can support interpretation and visitor engagement

The challenges of introducing emerging technology in heritage settings

Blending creative storytelling with digital innovation

Practical advice for attractions exploring AI adoption

The future of AI within museums and heritage organisations

Dominique Bouchard’s upcoming move to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

The potential for future AI driven heritage experience

 

Show references: 

 

Dr Dominique Bouchard, Heritage and Engagement Director at Leeds Castle. Soon-to-be Creative Director at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/about-us/news-media/press-releases/leading-uk-museum-appoints-its-first-creative-director/

Pilgrimage of Love: Eleanor of Castile

https://www.leeds-castle.com/

https://www.leeds-castle.com/events/pilgrimage-of-love-eleanor-of-castile/

https://youtu.be/U29H_PHrh14?si=NDbHAwR0CTTIuApY

Museum and Heritage show at Olympia London, Theatre 3 at 2:15 on Wednesday 13th May, 2026

https://show.museumsandheritage.com/

 

 

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Andy Povey.

If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.

If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.

Credits:

Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster)

Edited by Steve Folland

Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)

Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey

We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.

Download your FREE copy here

In this Skip the Queue podcast episode, our guest host Ruth Read, Director of blooloop and greenloop, is joined by Vero Celis, CEO and Founder of Valumia and Sustainability Advisor at Skutek Consulting, and Marie Rayner, Director of Project Development and Sustainability Lead at Storyland Studios, to discuss sustainability in the attractions industry, focusing on practical climate action, key risks, and how small, data-driven steps can create meaningful progress.

Topics Discussed:

what sustainability and climate action mean for attractions

how to get started using existing data and simple steps

integrating sustainability into storytelling and guest experience

designing attractions with biodiversity and long term impact in mind

attractions as spaces to test and showcase sustainable innovation

risks of not acting including climate impacts and infrastructure challenges

supply chain risks and ESG considerations

growing guest expectations around sustainability

practical operational improvements and quick wins

barriers to progress including cost, alignment, and lack of clarity

circular design and reducing waste across projects

engaging and educating guests through visible sustainability efforts

 

Show references: 

 

Guest Host: 

Ruth Read, Director at blooloop, the go-to source for attractions news and its sustainability platform greenloop.

https://blooloop.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/blooloop/about/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthread/

Join the greenloop newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/blooloop.com/greenloops-reasons-to-be-cheerful

 

Veronica Celis Vergara, CEO and founder of Valumia and Sustainability Advisor at Skutek Consulting

https://skutek-consulting.de/

https://www.valumia.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-celis-vergara/

 

Marie Rayner, Director of Project Development and Sustainability Lead at Storyland Studios

https://www.storylandstudios.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyland-studios/about/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-r-138b181b/

 

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your guest host is Ruth Read.

If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.

If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.

Credits:

Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster)

Edited by Steve Folland

Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)

Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey

We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.

Download your FREE copy here

Andy Povey is joined by Andy Zimmerman, CEO of Journey, the global design and innovation agency behind some of the world's most innovative immersive experiences. Andy shares how Journey blends storytelling, technology, and multidisciplinary creativity to transform everything from theme parks and observation decks to healthcare and live entertainment. They discuss the shift from digital to real-world experiences, the importance of designing every touchpoint in the guest journey, and why the most memorable moments often happen before the main event even begins.

 

Topics Discussed

How Journey creates world-class immersive experiences across multiple industries

Why storytelling is the foundation of every successful project

Designing experiences beyond entertainment, including healthcare and hospitality

The transformation of the Empire State Building visitor experience

Lessons from Disney's MagicBand and pre-arrival guest engagement

The growing demand for real-life, technology-enabled experiences

How Journey combines diverse creative disciplines under one roof

The future of immersive experiences and opportunities with influencer-led attractions

Why every part of the guest journey, including queues, matters

The shift from the experience economy to the transformation economy

 

Show references:

Andy Zimmerman, CEO of Journey

https://journey.world/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/journeydotworld/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewzimmerman1/

 

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey.

If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.

If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.

Credits:

Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster)

Edited by Steve Folland

Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)

Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey

We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.

Download your FREE copy here

Andy Povey is joined by Debs Griffin, Director of Sundown Adventureland, to explore a family-run theme park shaped by three generations of women. The conversation covers its growth into a leading destination for young families, alongside insights on expansion, operations, and maintaining a clear focus on imaginative play for children under 10.

 

Topics Discussed

Origins and growth of Sundown Adventureland

Three generations of female leadership

Expansion into rides, play areas, and accommodation

Challenges in staffing and operations

Importance of hands-on leadership

Focus on under 10s and free play experiences

Balancing growth while maintaining family values

 

Show references:

Debs Griffin, Director of Sundown Adventureland

https://sundownadventureland.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/sundown-adventureland/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/debora-griffin-924161120/

 

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey.

If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.

If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.

Credits:

Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster)

Edited by Steve Folland

Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster)

Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey

We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.

Download your FREE copy here