We bring together an experienced team including researchers, an interpretation planner, business consultants, a marketing specialist, a curator and a film maker!

Kevin Brown BSc PG Dip, Managing Director
Kevin leads the consultancy in strategic planning and options appraisals.  Kevin has a sound knowledge of research based appraisal work in tourism, leisure and community development projects.  He has considerable experience in feasibility studies, business planning and exit strategies, agency and acquisitions. He also provides support for site appraisals, planning and activity plans and audience development Pans.

Prior to joining Planning Solutions Consulting, Kevin worked for Fleury Manico, Chartered Surveyors, a specialist leisure company where he was Head of Research. Kevin led all the research based activities which formed an important aspect of valuation advice. He secured the firm’s inclusion on the Register of Expert Advisers for the Lottery Sports Fund and managed the in house research archives and data systems. Previously Kevin worked for four years at South East England Tourist Board managing the grant scheme (Section 4) for tourism development projects in the Region.

Richard Linington BA (Hons) MA, Head of Research and Marketing
Richard Linington is the director of research and has some 11 years of commercial experience in the tourism, regeneration and design sectors.  Richard has experience of working on complex projects where he has carried out research to identify and assess the most appropriate development solutions.

He carries out feasibility studies, prepares option appraisals, audience development plans, activity plans and business plans for a range of clients from the Forestry Commission through to Tourism South East, Wildlife Trusts and Regional Development Agencies. Richard also manages the marketing strategy for Conkers, a £16 million visitor attraction in the Heart of the National Forest.

Richard has a strong background in both primary and secondary research. Prior to joining Planning Solutions, he worked as a User Researcher and Usability Analyst at Razorfish, one of the UK’s leading digital consultancies and BMP DDB Needham, the multi-national advertising agency.

Clive Johnson BA Commercial Director
Clive has a wide commercial  and marketing remit across the three visitor attractions operated by the company.
 
Prior to joining Planning Solutions, Clive worked as a marketing consultant on projects including developing the marketing strategy and implementation to support thelaunch of a 4 star Holiday Village and Country Club on the Isle of Wight. 

He has also worked as the Director of Marketing and Visitor Services at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard which is home to HMS Victory, The Mary Rose, Action Stations, HMS Warrior 1860 and the Royal Naval Museum.  His responsibility included defining and delivering the Communications, Marketing and Events strategies necessary to achieve the budgetary and vision objectives of the six separate organisations on site (four being charitable trusts) and direct management of the PR, Marketing Services, Events and Visitor centre functional reports.  He also lead a complete re-branding project that allowed the individual attractions to unite under one strong destination brand and he was responsible for financial performance analysis, budgetary planning and control. 

From May 2007- May 2008 he held a strategic planning consultancy role which included the long term marketing plan that underpinned the Mary Rose’s successful £20m Heritage Lottery Fund bid, the 2008 marketing plan and TV media strategy.

Alasdair Hagger, MSc, Associate Heritage and Interpretation
Alasdair has over twenty one years experience in both consultancy and operational management in the heritage and attraction sectors. Alasdair’s experience relates to all aspects of planning for new and existing museums and attractions including the provision of master planning, interpretive planning, concept development, audience research, market and feasibility analysis, funding, marketing and exhibition planning, design and implementation services.

He has practical managerial experience and knowledge of implementing small and major exhibition projects and of interpretive interface at all stages of the design process, helping to deliver visitor experiences that are engaging, exciting and informative. His experience relates to all aspects of the interpretive and design process including content research, storyline development, audience research, 3D design, 2D graphic design, interactive development, AV software development and budget and programme control.

Alasdair also has experience of securing funding from a variety of sources and is an HLF Expert Advisor for Refurbishment / Redevelopment; Interpretation; Audience Development and Business Planning within the Buildings & Monuments; Parks & Designed Landscapes; Museums; Industrial Sites and Archaeology Sectors.

Prior to becoming an independent consultant Alasdair was a Principal Consultant at Haley Sharpe Design where Alasdair worked on a wide range of projects including Battle Abbey, Houses of Parliament Visitor Facilities, Kenilworth Castle, Carisbrooke Castle, Dover Castle, Holocaust Centre and the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust.

Alex Denny, Associate, Film Producer
Alex has carried out filming, producing, editing and directing work to produce a range of films. Alex has filmed the 2009 Graduation service for the University of Portsmouth and the BBC which was screened online. Working as a freelancer Alex has shot a variety of different events for an event organiser. These included a Christmas event at Revolutions and the returning of the FA cup to Portsmouth. Alex was a camera man and sound recordist for the ‘Abolition of Slavery’ which covered a year long celebration of the end of slavery.

He also shot and produced three short information films about the Supertubing Extreme Adventure experience in Ebbw Vale. This included interviews with customers to understand their experience of Supertubing. This has been used as a powerful marketing tool

Alex has a BSc (Hons) in Video and Broadcasting.