To help celebrate Heritage Open Days the Mayor’s Parlour at the Guildhall was open on Saturday 7 September and tours were provided.

Dating back to 1721 the Guildhall is a beautiful building with a fascinating history and it.

Hundreds of people visited on the day, including Worcester residents which was great.  It is easy to walk by and I always did, prior to becoming a councillor, a whole five years ago.

It is worth noting that whilst the Mayor’s Parlour is not always open, as I do use it for work and meetings, the Guildhall is usually Monday through to Saturday (except Bank Holidays).

We also have fantastic Tourist Information Centre (TIC) in the Guildhall.

Just head through the gates on the left and take the door on the left and you won’t miss it.

Whilst pupils are just back at school and Halloween and Bonfire Night has not yet happened, the TIC has plenty of gifts suitable for Christmas including Christmas baubles!

I tend to shop early for Christmas and like to choose charities and not for profit organisations for my gifts so do please forgive me for mentioning Christmas in September!

I recently visited Veron in France for the Commemoration of the Battle of Vernon and bought gifts from the TIC for our hosts.

Aside from retail Worcester has much to offer as a tourist destination.  With the Cathedral, the Commandery, Greyfriars and Tudor House to start, our faithful City is rich in history.

We also have some beautiful parks, with Cripplegate in the centre, the riverside and of course the cricket ground.

Arts and culture is growing. The Arches is a brilliant addition and Huntingdon Hall and the Swan Theatre serve us well, with some fantastic home-grown talent.

Heritage Open Days, for me, has served as a reminder of all we have, in our city, our Worcester.