Plans unveiled to increase footfall and the visitor experience at Cork tourism destination

AMBITIOUS plans to increase footfall and the visitor experience at Camden Fort Meagher were revealed at a recent Carrigaline Municipal District Council meeting.

John Forde who heads a company formed by Cork County Council to oversee the running of Camden Fort Meagher unveiled a series of measures they hope to implement at the coastal fort in Crosshaven to members of the Carrigaline Municipal District.

The plans they hope to implement if they are successful in securing funding from two Government schemes include a new app for self-guided tours, carrying out various upgrades in the buildings, updating the website and creating picnic areas. 

They hope their plans will help increase visitor numbers and enhance the visitor experience.

Mr Forde said that funding for the various jobs has been applied for under two Government schemes. If successful it will enable them to carry out necessary works at the fort. 

“We are looking to see if we can get funding to waterproof the roofs of three rooms. This would bring them up to museum standards so that the quality of exhibitions we can put on there would be better. We also want to update the website and bring it up to modern standards,” he said.

Mr Forde said the new app for self-guided tours could be a potential ‘game changer’. 

“We think that that could be a game-changer for us in terms of enhancing the visitor experience. We have come across a new app for self-guided tours that can be downloaded quickly onto a person’s mobile phone. 

"They can then find a way around the site. Various QR codes will allow them to download information specific to that location."

“There are certain projects we hope to do. We also want more visitors to the moat area. We could use it as a picnic area. There is a path that leads across to the steps just over the west pier that we hope to make more accessible. We also have a bit of landscaping to do to make the place more visually attractive."

"In order to get people in at evening time, we would like to put up some public lighting and a viewing area which will allow us to make more use of the fort at weekends and throughout the winter. 

"The toilets are in significant need of improvement. We also want to put in a few chairs and handrails on the Bright Tunnel to make it more comfortable,” he added.

Mr Forde said they plan to tender for a private contractor to operate the tea rooms on a seven-day basis. He added they hope to get a marketing company in to advise them on how best to achieve the maximum from the tourist attraction. 

“We would like to get a company in to advise us on how best to market what we have in the fort and what other events we can hold throughout the season."

"We would like to lease out the tea rooms. We will be looking for somebody to take on the café and we will then work with them when they want it to open. We think they could be opened all year round.”