How Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens uses Bloomberg Connects to transform visitor experience.
We spoke to Beth Jackson, Head of Audiences, about Ushaw’s work using Bloomberg Connects to showcase their complex heritage site, as well as their ambitions.
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens launched its digital guide on Bloomberg Connects in April 2025, but, even before that, the team had heard it had potential. Colleagues had returned from sector events – AIM Conference among them – armed with leaflets and enthusiastic endorsements.
After attending demonstrations and speaking to the Connects team, Head of Audiences Beth Jackson recognised the value: a digital guide flexible enough to be continually refreshed, supportive of rich storytelling, and – crucially – free. Add in auto-translation features, audio guides, transcripts and an intuitive web version, it felt almost too good to be true.
“I kept thinking, ‘Where’s the catch?!’ We had a full printed guidebook already. But making that accessible – really accessible – to every visitor was a challenge for a charity with a small team. Having that auto-translate option was absolutely key for us.”
Ushaw’s aims for the guide were clear from the beginning: accessibility. The Ushaw site is complex and expansive, with chapels, collections, gardens, studios, and a thriving bed-and breakfast operation attracting more international visitors each year.
“For a charity, producing even one additional language version of our guide would be huge,” Jackson explains. Now, visitors simply scan a QR code and start exploring in their own language. Since launching, their guide has been accessed in 14 languages, including Bulgarian, Dutch and Chinese.
Equally important was the platform’s flexibility. “There’s still so much we want to add. The guide isn’t something you build once and forget. The ability to update it instantly, ourselves, is invaluable.”
Although Beth led the setup, the project quickly became a team effort. Receptionists helped upload content during quieter shifts; colleagues across the organisation contributed expertise and audio. From the librarian’s insights into a 50,000-book collection to the head gardener’s reflections on the grounds, the guide now captures a multi-voiced, textured picture of Ushaw.
“It became a lovely project. Lots of colleagues could share their perspectives.” (Check out the “Ushaw Through Our Team’s Eyes” tour on Bloomberg Connects to see the results for yourself).
Moving from print to digital required a new approach to writing. Bloomberg’s support was instrumental. The team received guidance at every stage, and that support continues nearly a year after launch.
“The whole guide was reviewed by an expert – the feedback was incredibly useful. We still have regular meetings about keeping the guide up to date. They don’t disappear once you go live.”
At first, the digital guide focused on enhancing on-site experience. But the team quickly realised its marketing potential – especially for a site still in its infancy. Visitor numbers have grown from 7,000 in 2014 to over 100,000 in recent years, and Ushaw aims to double this figure within the next five years.
The guide showcases parts of Ushaw that delegates or short-stay visitors might otherwise miss, including its extensive gardens and grounds.
“It helps visitors discover just how much more there is here beyond a first visit, especially when they’re here for a specific event.”
Future plans for the guide include showcasing the 50 creative businesses with studio spaces at Ushaw. During an upcoming Open Studios event, they plan to give each studio a presence on the guide.
“It promotes the artists and helps visitors navigate the studios – it does both jobs.”
The app’s in-built analytics dashboard has also been a significant asset. It shows which content visitors engage with most and offers seasonal patterns helping shape priorities as the team builds new content.
So, what has Beth learnt after a year with Bloomberg Connects?
Start gathering content early.
“Photos, text and archival materials are essential. Having them ready made a huge difference. However, you don’t need to do everything at once, it’s your guide and you can work at your own pace.”
Don’t shy away from audio.
“We’d never done much audio before, but Bloomberg provides the kit, and people really engage with it.”
And above all:
“Just do it. Everything you read about them (Bloomberg Connects) is true – the support is excellent.”
Want to improve your digital storytelling skills?
Get a taste of the training and support that Bloomberg Connects offers. Join Bloomberg Connects and Art UK for an upcoming webinar exploring what makes great digital content, why and how it performs well, and key considerations for using an audience-led approach.
11am Tuesday 19 May, free to attend but you do need to register for a place.
Click here to book (opens in a new tab)