The Chief Executive of VisitEngland has hailed Kynren – The Storied Lands as ‘a powerful addition to the North East’s visitor offer’ following a visit to the UK’s first live action show park.
Patricia Yates visited the landmark attraction in Bishop Auckland on Saturday, where she experienced the new daytime visitor attraction following its opening last month and met with Kynren founder Jonathan Ruffer and members of the senior leadership team.
Created by the team behind the award-winning Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, Kynren – The Storied Lands combines spectacular live action shows, immersive experiences, magnificent horses and birds, history, myth and legend to create a unique new family visitor attraction for the UK.
The visit came at a landmark moment for the attraction, with Saturday evening also marking the 100th performance of Kynren – An Epic Tale of England.
Since its premiere in 2016, the award-winning outdoor spectacular has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors and helped establish Bishop Auckland as one of the country’s leading cultural tourism destinations.
The opening of Kynren – The Storied Lands marks the next chapter in that success story.
VisitBritain and VisitEngland Chief Executive Patricia Yates said: “It’s fantastic to see Kynren – The Storied Lands become such a powerful addition to the North East’s visitor offer.
“Bringing 2,000 years of history, myth and legend to life through spectacular storytelling and exceptional live performance, it celebrates the character, heritage and creativity of County Durham in a truly engaging way.
“Having seen the vision behind the project earlier this year, it’s inspiring to see that ambition brought so vividly to life.
“Working with Visit County Durham and Experience North East England, we’re helping share these stories with new audiences across Britain and overseas, attracting more visitors to the region and supporting economic growth.
“If you haven’t yet experienced Kynren – The Storied Lands, I would certainly encourage you to come and discover it for yourself,” she added.
During her visit, Patricia met Kynren founder Jonathan Ruffer and members of the team responsible for creating the ambitious new attraction, discussing its role in strengthening the North East’s growing reputation as one of England’s leading cultural and tourism destinations.
“It was a pleasure to welcome Patricia to Kynren – The Storied Lands and to share what has been achieved since opening our gates to visitors,” said Anna Warnecke, CEO of Kynren.
“Our ambition has always been to create a world class visitor experience that celebrates the stories, history and heritage of this region while making a meaningful contribution to the local economy.
“Receiving such positive recognition from the Chief Executive of VisitEngland is a tremendous endorsement of the vision, passion and dedication of everyone who has helped bring Kynren – The Storied Lands to life,” she added.
Kynren – The Storied Lands opened on 18 July and is the UK’s first live action show park, featuring five spectacular live productions and immersive experiences inspired by history, myth and legend.
It sits alongside Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, which celebrated its 100th performance during Patricia Yates’ visit.
Performed every Saturday evening throughout the summer by a cast and crew of 1,000 volunteers, the internationally acclaimed night show continues to be one of England’s most celebrated outdoor live events.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
