The Tour of Britain event attracted 20,000 spectators to Barrow and delivered a £400,000 boost to the town’s economy, according to new official figures.

Last September’s event brought in £10.8 million to Cumbria with a 1.5 million audience watching the event on ITV 4 alone, a meeting heard.
Footage of the event, including the Barrow stages, was syndicated across Europe, America and Australia, councillors were told.

Mark Brierley, the Tour of Britain co-ordinator for Cumbria County Council, updated members of Barrow Local Committee on the final figures.

He said it had required thousands of hours of planning by the county council and Barrow Borough Council, voluntary groups, Cumbria Police and others.
A total of 500 staff and volunteers worked on the event which Mr Briereley called a “massive effort”.

“In Barrow, it was estimated that across the whole borough there was about 20,000 people out watching the event, most of them concentrated in the central Barrow area but also on the roads out around the shipyard and the coast road,” said Mr Brierley.

“The individual economic impact for the town was £400,000. That’s based on the people who were here or came in.

“The big thing that benefits the economy is the amount of overnight stays. Those people who come to see the event and then stay over. That benefits the economy because it’s money that would not be coming to Cumbria.”

Cllr Mel Worth, the Labour councillor for Walney North, told the meeting the event was fantastic for the county.

Cllr Anne Burns, the Labour councillor for Hindpool, thanked all those in Barrow who worked on the event.

She said: “It wouldn’t have been the success it was without that team effort. All of them worked so hard and their enthusiasm meant you couldn’t help but get behind it and enjoy it. It was a fantastic day and the feeling across the town was infectious.”

Committee chairman Cllr Kevin Hamilton, the deputy leader of Barrow Council, said he spoke to some riders who were “enthralled” by the welcome they received in Barrow.

“They were overwhelmed by our generosity, they couldn’t get over it,” said Cllr Hamilton, the Labour councillor for Risedale.

“It was absolutely fantastic that the children were made to feel part of it. I can’t forget Barrow Borough Council either, because I have never seen the town looking as clean.”

Positive feedback has also flooded in from local schools with Greengate School in Barrow hailing the cycling spectacular as “marvellous and superbly organised.”