An Evaluation of the economic impact of Lichfield Cathedral upon the local economy of the City of Lichfield

Lichfield Cathedral is located in the heart of the City of Lichfield. Receiving an estimated 200,000 visitors a year, 70% of whom are visitors to the region, means that the Cathedral plays a key role in contributing to the visitor economy of the City.
It is estimated that 100,000 of these visitors are ‘tourists’ whilst the other 100,000 people visit the Cathedral for special events, services and pilgrimages. Although considerable research has been carried out to
discuss the social and economic impacts of Cathedrals as tourist destinations, and their role within tourist cities, there is little specific research focused on the economic impact of Cathedrals within the destinations where they are located.
This report, commissioned by Lichfield Cathedral in March 2013, and delivered through a partnership between University of Wolverhampton and Staffordshire University, adopts a
mixed-method approach to measure the economic impact of the Cathedral within Lichfield and to also identify opportunities for future development to facilitate greater economic impact in the future.

The findings of the research identify the direct, indirect and induced economic impacts of the Cathedral, and also identify and respond to other themes within the Cathedral Strategy and development plans thus the outcome of the report provides an economic impact value, a series of recommendations for future research and development and a view on the opportunities which exist to further develop the economic impact of the Cathedral on the local visitor economy.